The Junkyard
by Rogue11
Summary: When Heero comes across an old car, it seems to trigger some memories in him, of a childhood he never could remember before. Together, he and Duo follow the leads to uncover his past.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

**STOP!!! This is the 3rd story in a arc. In order to fully understand the plot and characters you should have read "The Portrait" completely and "The Well" up to chapter 10.**

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 1  
**

"Maxwell...Hey Maxwell, are you home?"

A third bang at his door finally got Duo's attention, and he pulled out his headphones. "Come in!"

The young man was lying belly down on his bed, flipping through the newest issue of a pop magazine when his new 'landlord' entered.

Letting his gaze wander over a array of moving boxes and bags Heero frowned slightly. It had been almost a week now since his fellow schoolmates had moved in, but by the look of the room it might as well have been two hours ago. "Are you ever planning on unpacking those, or do you just prefer to live out of boxes? If so we could just move the furniture out of your way."

Duo couldn't quite tell if the other youth was being sarcastic or actually serious, so he settled for a sheepish smile and scratched his head. "Sorry, I haven't gotten around to it yet. Did Wufei sent you to chew me out about it?"

"No, I came to tell you, your car is in the way."

"In whose way?" the braided young man asked surprised. "I made sure not to put it in the driveway."

"Exactly. Tomorrow is Friday, street sweeping day, unless you want to find a ticket on your windshield when you wake up, you'd better move it."

Duo sighed as he rolled off the bed. "Alright, where should I put it?"

Heero seemed a little surprised by the question. "In the garage of course."

"I thought that's where you keep your cars." Duo knew his friend owned a silver Corvette as well as a impressive looking Jeep 4x4; he had seen him drive both. "There will be still room for another truck?"

"Oh, yes. There is plenty of room, don't worry. Let me show you," Heero gestured for the other youth to follow him. "I have a spare garage door remote for you too, somewhere."

#

From the entry, a door and then a flight of steps let into the underground garage. Duo had never been down here yet; hadn't had a reason to. He just followed Heero, who waited for him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Right here to the left is the control panel; lights, manual door opener, AC, " he explained while he reached for the switch.

As the lights flickered to life Duo's jaw nearly dropped. His eyes went wide and for the first time in a long time, he was speechless. He blinked, just to make sure his eyes didn't play a trick on him, then finally let out an impressed whistle.

"I will be damned!" Oh yes, Heero was defiantly right, there was still room for his truck...or for two...or three... dozen.

The place was huge, not only as large as the entire house, but the entire property, backward and all. To the left, closest the door, stood the Corvette and Heero's 4x4, on the other side was a completely equipped mechanic station. But the most impressive part was the lineup of classic and vintage cars parked behind Plexiglas partition in the back of the garage. As far as he was concerned, this was no garage, it was a car museum.

Letting his gaze wander over the vehicles Duo couldn't help but notice their prestige condition. Even the oldest ones looked like they had just rolled off the assembly line. Someone had obviously put a lot of money, time and effort into restoring them, it seemed.

"J and I fixed those up ourselves," Heero explained as though he was reading his mind, and the hint of pride in his voice was hard to miss.

"Cars was something you and your father had in common then?"

"I think it started more as an attempt to interest me in science; his way of proving to me that there was more to it than reading dull and boring books, and that it is actually useful. I'd have never imagined how much physics and math are involved in rebuilding a car."

"Mind if I take a closer look?"

"Go ahead, but let me turn off the alarm system first. Trust me, you don't want to be anywhere nearby when that bell goes off."

Duo grinned. "I can imagine down here it's probably loud enough to make your ears fall off."

"No, but you might wish it would." The young man walked over to the control panel to push in the code that disarmed the alarm and slowly opened the Plexiglas barrier. "It's a bit overkill if you ask me, but the insurance company insisted on the security system."

"I can't blame them." With another impressed whistle Duo approached one of the cars. "A Marcos 1500GT?" he asked, looking back over his shoulder.

"1600," Heero corrected.

"Do they really have a wooden chassis?"

"Complete with termites if you're not careful."

Duo huffed in amusement as he continued walking down the line of cars, until he reached the last one. "Wow, is that a Bugatti 101? I read they only made 7 of those."

"I believe so. J found it at an auction in pretty bad shape. We were still working on it when he died. I haven't touched it since."

The other youth nodded thoughtfully. "Because that would bring back too many memories?" he assumed.

"No!" Heero frowned slightly. "Because I can't find a fuel injector for it. Getting parts for those old models can be tough." He walked over to his jeep, removed the garage door remote that was clipped to the sun visor, and tossed it at Duo. "Here use this one for now, until I find the other one."

#

"Have you ever thought of checking Pete's junkyard?" the braided youth asked as the two of them headed back up into the house.

"Pete's junkyard?!"

"Yeah, it's located right of the interstate, a few miles out of town."

"I think I have seen the place driving by. You mean looking there for parts?"

"Yeah," Duo nodded. "You most likely won't find any old Bugatti sitting around there, but pretty much anything else you can think of. I go there all the time if I need to fix my own car."

"Is it legal?"

"Of course. Pete opens the place every weekend to the public. You pay 50 bucks and anything you can find on the lot and carry out on your own is yours for the taking. He says it give old cars the chance to live on, one part at a time."

"Hmm... What if you don't find anything?"

Duo shrugged. "It hardly ever happens, but if so I just take some parts that seem useful and sell them to get my money's worth. Let's go there on Saturday, what 'ya think?"

"You sure you don't have any other plans already?"

"Not really. We were going to go to the mall, but not until later. Wufei will probably spend most of the morning at the dojo anyway."

"Alright then," Heero nodded. "Let's do it then."

####

"Hey Pete, how is it going?" Duo Maxwell greeted the middle aged man sitting inside the little shag at the junkyard's gate.

"Ah Duo, haven't seen you around for a while. Your truck acting up again?"

"Yes and no, today I am actually here with a friend. Meet Heero, Heero meet Pete king of cars, ruler of rebuild transmissions."

The gray-haired man shook his head as he laughed. "Isn't he something? You are looking for something specific?"

"More or less looking today. Would be nice if I could find a pair of original headlights for a 1960 Studebaker Hawk. The ones you can buy online are mostly replicas. I like to stick with the real thing whenever I can." Heero explained.

"Ah yeah, I hear you." Pete nodded. "Duo, you know your way around, show him where the old cars are."

"Sure think."

"How long will you be staying?"

"Not sure," Duo shrugged. "Why?"

"I'm leaving in about an hour, need you to be out before then. No charge today, okay. Come back tomorrow if you need anything more. I'll be here after noon.""

"You got it." Nudging his friend on the shoulder Duo gestured for Heero to follow him. The two of them had left their car in the parking lot just outside the gate.

"The really old stuff is in the back here. I think Pete mentioned once that they have cars here that go as far back as when this place opened around 1930."

Looking around as he followed his friend, Heero let his gaze wander over rows and rows of old, piled up cars, some gutted to its bare frame, some still intact and almost complete, while others looked like they had been in various kinds of accidents... After a while his eyes fell upon a dark blue, almost black Buick Regal. It wasn't a new model but neither old enough to be called a antique. Probably mid-80s the young man guessed, the models looked too similar to determine the exact year without checking some details.

Heero wasn't sure what it was about the car; it was in bad shape, damaged from what seemed front impact and in advanced stage of corrosion, but something about it just seemed to draw him in. He took a slow step toward the wreck, then a second and third. That's when it hit him. It was like a flashback, an image that jumped into his mind...no, not an image, more like a scene.

He was looking through some kind of window, outside that window, things were moving. Suddenly there was a bright light, a violent jolt and then the world around him turned to chaos...

"Hey, you coming?"

His head snapped around, Duo's voice had startled him back into reality.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Heero shook his head. "I just.... was looking at this Buick."

"Wow." His friend stepped closer. "That's a serious piece of junk." Taking a few more steps Duo raised his hand to shield his eyes as he looked inside the car. "Yikes, water damage too. You need parts for a Buick, too? There have to be better ones around."

"No, I was just...looking."

Duo frowned slightly. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Well let's go then. I want to show you where the good stuff is, before Pete throws us out."

"Right." Heero confirmed, but even as he followed his friend he could not help but look back over his shoulder a couple of times.

#

"What did I tell you, this place is great. A set of wheel cylinders and a rear view mirror for a Studebaker in less than an hour," Duo bragged as they loaded the parts into the pack of Heero's jeep. "And it didn't even cost you a dime."

"Yes, I didn't think we would get that lucky."

"We should come back tomorrow."

"Good idea." Heero checked his watch as he climbed behind the wheel. "Let's grab lunch on the way home, my treat," he suggested.

"Sounds good."

They pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the interstate in silence. Duo wasn't sure why but somehow his friend seemed preoccupied with something.

"Duo..." Heero asked, quietly and without looking at him. "Do you remember your parents?"

Duo blinked. That was unexpected. So he reacted in the way he always did when he was caught off guard; with a joke. "Which ones?" After all he had spent his childhood in half a dozen different foster homes.

"You know what I mean," Heero finally turned his head toward him. "Your real parents."

"No. I wouldn't. I was too young. From what I've been told I was left at the steps of a church only a few days after I was born. I spent the next few years in their orphanage, so I guess Father Maxwell and Sister Helen are the first 'parents' I have known...."

"You couldn't stay there?"

"No," Duo propped his feet onto the dashboard and leaned back in the leather seat with his fingers interlaced behind his head. "The Maxwell orphanage wasn't able to care for school aged children. So I had to leave when I was about 6. But the memories I have of the place are the best I've ever had. Why do you ask?"

"I don't have any at all." Heero admitted, staring onto the road again. "Memories, I mean... of my earliest childhood I mean, or my parents. The first things I do remember is being with J, at his house. But I was already 5 by then."

"You don't remember anything?" Duo frowned.

"No. I try so hard to remember, but it's just a blank."

"Why? I mean why are those memories important?"

"Because I want to know who my parents were...who I am. Have you never wondered?"

Duo shrugged. "I would be lying if I said no. Back at the orphanage we would all make up stories, about our parents but as I got older I realized that the only person who determines who I am is myself."

"Maybe." Heero agreed but he didn't sound too convinced.

"Did...J never tell you anything about your parents?"

"No, he never spoke of them at all when I was little and when I got older and started asking questions he just told me it was a closed adoption and he didn't have any information about my parents. Still I want to know why they decided to give me up. Was it something I did?"

* * *

TBC

Author's Note: The Junkyard is the third story in my ghost arc. This fic will be focusing on Heero and Duo, their relationship and some discoveries they make about something that happened in the past and about themselves.  
The story starts just shortly after Duo and Wufei move into Hero's house. I'll be writing it the way it develops, parallel to 'The Well'. I have never tried anything like it, but I think it will be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 2  
**

_It was dark, or at least dark enough that he couldn't see much around him. But he had the feeling that he was not alone. He was sitting inside a car, he realized. Outside the windows an occasional tree or power pole flew by, and when he looked up he could see the dark, star covered night sky. Suddenly there was a light, bright enough to make him cover his eyes. Someone screamed, but he couldn't tell if it was a man or woman… or perhaps even himself. A powerful jolt and the world around him began to spin. Terrible screeching sounds of metal scraping against metal hurt his ears. And then suddenly everything went black and quiet._

Heero woke with a start. His heart was beating frantically and he realized that his clothes were soaking wet. Still trying to catch his breath he swung his feet over the side of the bed and sat there for a few moments.

_A dream…no a nightmare. But what brought it on? _He couldn't even remember the last time he had a nightmare. But now that he thought about it, the dream was very similar to the short memory flash he had at the junkyard, yesterday.

Heero rose to his feet. He slipped off his sweat-drenched boxers and T-shirt and pulled a clean set from his dresser. A few minutes later he stood under the hot shower, still pondering if the dream was just a figment of his imagination or a memory of something that had actually happened in the past.

By the time he got out of the shower the young man was bright awake. It was shortly after 5:30 in the morning, and he didn't feel like going back to bed now. So he headed into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of orange juice before moving on into the living room.

In the media cabinet, beneath the TV was a large shelf, filled with photo albums. Pulling out several of the thick, leather-bound books, Heero settled down on the carpet cross-legged and started to flip through them one by one. The albums were arranged by year, like a pictographic chronology of his childhood; photos of him and J at the zoo, the science center, at various of museums, pictures of birthday parties and team photos from the time when he played baseball and soccer in little league. There were pictures taken on vacations, during business trips J had taken him to and photos of him all dressed up for formal events and holidays. But Heero noticed that aside from a few of his friends, there was never anyone else in those pictures; no relatives, no family. It seemed that J and he only had one another.

The alarm in his wristwatch beeped 10 minutes to seven, giving him just enough time to go back to his bedroom and change into his jogging pants and a pair of running shoes before Trowa came by to pick him up for their morning run.

"You look like hell," his friend told him as they stretched outside in the driveway.

Heero gave a sarcastic snort. "Thanks, just the compliment one likes to get first thing in the morning."

"You alright?"

He nodded. "Yes, I'm fine, I just had some weird dream last night."

"Oh no, not you too." Trowa mumbled, falling into step next to him as they headed down the hill toward the woods.

"Huh?"

"Ah, nothing. It's just, Quatre is the master of weird dreams."

###

"Heero?! I made..." Walking into the living room with a cup of freshly brewed coffee, Duo stopped himself as he realized the room was empty, aside from an array of photos and albums on the floor. He could have sworn he had heard his friend move around down here, earlier in the morning. But perhaps he had gone running like he usually did when he had no early classes.

The young man held his step, squatting down in front of a pile of pictures. He set his cup down on the floor as he picked up the top photo. It showed a younger Heero, probably nine or 10 years old, and a man with white hair; Heero's adoptive father, J, Duo assumed. He had never met the man, who looked old enough to be Heero's grandfather. His nose was sticking out from under a pair of strong prescription glasses.

The young man was flipping through a few more pictures when he was suddenly startled by someone clearing his throat behind his back.

"Should you be doing that?"

"Geez, Wu when will you stop sneaking up on people like that," he complained. "One of these days you will give someone a heart attack."

"I wasn't sneaking up," his friend pointed out. "It's just that you don't pay attention to what's going on around you."

"Not exactly true. My 'attention' was just focused on something specific at that very moment."

Wufei huffed.

"There is fresh coffee."

"Yeah, I could smell it, that's what brought me down. Thanks. But seriously, are you sure it's okay to snoop through someone else's personal stuff?"

"I am not snooping. Those pictures were lying here in the open and I am just looking at them. Look at those, Heero was kind of cute as a kid. Well... not to say he is he isn't still."

His friend left the room, rolling his eyes, and a few moments later Duo could hear him rummage in the kitchen then head back upstairs to his room.

The young man turned his attention back to the photo albums when he heard the front door open.

"G'morning." he called out.

"Morning." Heero returned the greeting as he walked into the room. "You are up already?"

"Yeah. I thought I'd make breakfast today. So far it's only coffee, though."

Heero's gaze fell upon the pictures in his hand and Duo put on a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I hope you don't mind me looking at them."

"It's alright," his friend assured him. "I would have put them away if I wanted no one to see them."

"You have been traveling a lot when you were little, haven't you? Is that you standing in front of the real Sphinx or is that just one of those fake photomontages?"

"No, it's real," Heero confirmed. "J gave a lot of guest lectures. One of the places he was invited to was the University of Cairo. I used to accompany him during summer, when I wasn't in school."

"No kidding? Man, that must have been awesome."

"Yeah."

"Say," Duo suddenly turned serious. "This...mess here," he gestured of the photos and books on the floor. "Wouldn't have anything to do with what you told me yesterday, would it? I mean about you not remembering anything of your early childhood."

"Yes and no. Yesterday, when I saw that car at the junkyard..."

"The old Buick?"

"Yes. I remembered it from somewhere, or better it made me remember something."

"Really? What?"

"I'm not quite sure." The other youth shook his head in frustration. "It's all so fuzzy. But I thought maybe we used to have a car like that while I was growing up."

"That's why you were looking at the pictures?"

Heero nodded. "No luck, so."

"Maybe," Duo pointed out. "It's something from the time **before** you can to live with your adoptive father."

"That's what's I thought too. I wish I could find out somehow."

"Heero, are you sure about this? Sometimes there is a reason why we block things out and don't remember them."

"I am sure. Duo, do you think there is a way to trace the origin of a car on that junkyard; like who brought it in?"

"I'm pretty sure there has to be some kind of paperwork, but I don't know how far back that would go. We could ask Pete. He told me the yard has been in his family since it was opened, so he should know."

###

"Paperwork on an old car?" Pete scratched his head as he looked at the two young men. "You know I couldn't give that out, it has private information on it."

"But you have them?" Duo asked.

"Oh yes," the junkyard owner nodded as he gestured at the file cabinet lined back wall of his little office. "Everything is in there. The sheriff would have my ass if I wouldn't have those papers."

"Alright, so you can't let us look at those files, but maybe you could just tell us something about a certain car." Heero wanted to know.

The older man looked at him slightly suspicious. "What car are you talking about?"

"It's a very old Buick Regal, midnight blue. Looks like it has been in a car accident, it's standing in the back of the yard, a little offside to the left...."

"Oh, you must be talking about the 'Ghost Car'."

"Ghost car?!" Duo echoed. He could feel the hair in the back of his neck slowly rise. Suddenly his mind flashed back to the day they were cleaning out the attic at the old Peacecraft house, and Milliardo's casual announcement: _"Maybe it was the ghost." _The young man swallowed. _Well, isn't this déjà vu all over again._

"That's what everyone calls it," Pete laughed. "They say it is haunted. If you believe in that kind of stuff."

"I don't. Because there is no such thing as ghosts." Heero replied calmly. But then, he never had met Alexander, yet.

"Yeah well..." the older man let the rest of the sentence hanging in the air. "In any case, I don't have the paperwork for that car anyway. It was brought in by the sheriff's office back before they had their own towing yard, so they would have dealt with the papers."

"It's been such a long time, I wonder if anyone even remembers anything about it." Duo mused.

"Oh trust me, people who have been involved with that will remember. It's not something you forget easily."

"Sounds like you were one of those people." Heero guessed, and the junkyard owner nodded.

"I was still doing the towing myself back then. The call from the police came in while we were just sitting down for dinner. It had been pouring for days, and apparently some bozo trying to outrun the cops, lost control on the wet street. He crashed through the railing and into the flood channel over at walnut cove, a couple miles from the freeway. The channel was nearly filled from the rainstorms, and that Buick landed upside down in it. The cops were at the scene right away, but..." Pete shrugged.

"So the driver, died? Is that's why they call it ghost car?" Duo wanted to know.

"No, that's because of stuff that happened afterward."

_I had to ask, didn't I? _

"The sheriff's department has their own tow truck, so I was surprised when they called me out. But I found out that their truck suddenly stalled about a mile from the scene. If you ask me, probably got water in the ignition. Some people never learn to drive in the rain. Anyway. When I got out there they had a crane brought in to get the car out. Half way up the crane broke down, the electronic panel fried. Everyone said it was probably a lightning strike, but there was no thunderstorm in the area that evening."

"Alright, I think we got the idea." the braided young man assured Pete, but the junkyard owner wasn't quite done yet.

"Wait, the best is yet to come."

_That's what I was afraid of._

"We finally got the wreck here and the next day the sheriff sent in some experts to check it over, making sure it was really just an accident and stuff, you know. Tom Krueger, he used to work for me before he joined the military and then the police department, was working under the Buick when the hydraulic lift suddenly gave out and the car came crashing down."

Duo swallowed. "Did he get killed?"

"No, the lucky bastard got away by an hair's width. Of course if you asked him he'd tell you luck had nothing to do with it."

"No?"

"No, he still to this day insists that he was checking the breaks when something cold suddenly touched the top of his head; something like a ghostly hand, he says. It scared the living hell out of him and he dashed out from under that car just seconds before it came crashing down."

"You...you are saying the ghost saved his life?"

Heero rolled his eyes. "Maxwell, there is no such thing as ghosts. More likely, something scared that Krueger guy and in his haste to crawl out from under the car he might have accidently hit something that caused the hydraulics to come down."

"Sorry, Heero, but I happen to believe that there are a lot of things between heaven and earth that we can't explain."

"Just because we can't explain them doesn't mean they aren't explainable." his friend countered calmly. "In the past people couldn't explain either why we didn't fall of the earth while it was spinning around in space. But gravity still existed, even so they didn't know about it."

"What do you think, Pete?"

"What I think doesn't really matter, does it? But Tom insists it was the ghost of the little boy that warned him."

"Little boy?" both young men echoed in unison.

"The kid who died in the accident?!"

"You never mentioned a kid." Duo pointed out.

"It was all over the TV back then. The guy who drove the Buick was wanted for kidnapping. Some little boy from the West Coast, was taken about a week earlier; the son of some rich Japanese investor who was planning to build a Asian supermarket chain or something like that. They had it on the news and also on that program... Being Wanted or whatever it is called." Pete explained.

"And you remember that after all these years?" the young man asked, while Heero had suddenly become very quiet.

"Hey, nothing ever happens in this neck of the woods, so something like that sticks in your mind. In any case someone called in to tell the police that they saw the little boy with a guy driving a dark Buick, and I guess that's how the sheriffs men got involved and how the chase began."

"You are sure the boy died in the crash?" Heero swallowed, suddenly remembering the bits and pieces from his nightmare and the memory brought on when he saw the old car.

"As far as I know that's what they said," Pete replied. "When they pulled the car from the flood channel the driver was still strapped into his seat, probably died on impact. They assumed the boy had been thrown free from the car and his body drifted away in the water. Like I said the channel was nearly full, and the torrent was powerful. Even the divers they sent in had to be secured with robes so that they wouldn't get carried off and tossed against the rocky walls."

"Was his body ever found?"

"Not as far as I know." the older man admitted.

Duo frowned slightly as he looked at his friend from the side. "Are you alright?"

"I think so." Heero nodded. "You said the Sheriff would have the paperwork on the car and everything connected to it?"

________________________________________________________________________________________

TBC

Author's Note:


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 3  
**

"Sheriff, Mister Yuy is here to see you; your 11 am appointment." The secretary informed her boss over the intercom system.

"Show him in, please," Bonaparte's voice came back through the speaker.

She gestured for the young man to follow her. "This way please."

The Sheriff was on the phone as they entered his office. He dismissed the middle-aged woman with a nod, then motioned at one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Have a seat, please." He covered the receiver with his hand while he spoke. "You will have to excuse me for a moment."

Taking a seat Heero looked around the room. There were few personal items and decorations, except for a picture on the desk that seemed to show the sheriff's family, and a few diplomas on the wall.

"...yes Judge, I do realize that was 30 years ago. But we believe that there is new evidence now in the case. It might be quite possible that what was thought to be a simple desertion is actually a case of murder." Bonaparte was talking into the phone, then listened for a few moments, nodding once or twice as he did so. "No, that's all I need to hear for now. I'll send a written request within the day. Thank you." He hung up, turning toward his visitor. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it."

"So, Heero, tell me, how can I help you?"

Sheriff Bonaparte and his adoptive father had been more than casual acquaintances, and Heero had known the man, who sometimes came by to visit J, for a long time.

"I'm here because I hope you can give me some information about an old incident," the young man explained.

Bonaparte frowned slightly. "Don't tell me you are here about those missing students from 72, too? What is this; some kind of history project for school?"

"Um...no." Heero shook his head, somewhat puzzled. "I don't know anything about any missing students. Why do you ask?"

"Because I just talked to a few of your fellow students. Mister Winner...."

"Ah yes, Quatre, Trowa and Professor Khushrenada. I met them out in the parking lot. I was wondering what they were here for."

"Well anyway, if that's not why you are here, what incident are we talking about then?"

"A fatal accident connected to a child kidnapping. It happened in 1988, in late summer or fall I believe. I know that the man who was suspected to have abducted the boy drove an older Buick Regal. He crashed and died during a pursuit."

"Hmm..." the sheriff put on a thoughtful expression. "Yes, I remember that case. I was still working for the highway patrol at that time. If I remember right we got the call from assistance from Broomsfield County, but a short time later the alarm was called off and we headed back home. I didn't learn until the next day what it was all about. But yes, I do remember the kidnapping reports all over the news. We didn't have Amber alerts back then so newscasts and radio messages were the next best thing to help find missing children..."

"You said Broomsfield county? I thought it happened here in Clear Creek." Heero asked.

Bonaparte shrugged. "I can only assume that's where they started following him and he crossed county lines during the pursuit."

_Broomsfield, _the young man swallowed._ Waldenburg, Broomsfield County; that's where J and I used to live until I started middle school. _

"Do you think there would be any way that I could take a look at the documents related to this case?" he wanted to know.

"I'd love to help you, but I am afraid that only the FBI has those files, and I am not sure if would be willing to share that information."

"The FBI?"

"Standard procedure in abduction cases," Bonaparte explained. "Especially when the victim was transported across a Stateline, it becomes automatically a federal case."

"Of course. I didn't even think of that," Heero admitted.

"May I ask why you are so interested in all this?"

"Sheriff," the young man replied, without answering his question. "For how long have you and J known each other?"

"Hmm... I think we met shortly after you moved into town. We had a drink together at Joes. The place doesn't exist anymore, but back then it was a cozy little pub, frequented by all kinds of people...."

"Then you didn't know me when I was still a little child."

"Heero?!" Bonaparte looked at him. "Is there anything you would like to tell me?"

"No, I am sorry." The young man shook his head. "Not yet at least. It's all so confusing." He rose from his chair and leaned forward to shake hands with the older man. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me."

"Any time, kid, any time. Why don't you leave me your phone number, in case I can get a little more information for you."

"Thank you."

####

_"If I remember right we got the call from assistance from Broomsfield County.... I can only assume that's where they started following him and he crossed county lines during the pursuit..." _Heero's mind was still focused on his meeting with the sheriff, even as he worked in the garage later that afternoon. _I wonder if there is any way to find out where he actually came from?_

He had moved the Bugatti onto the hydraulic ramp and was working beneath it. One of the main concerns of a wooden chassis was that it had to be treated frequently against termites and other nasty little crawlers.

_Why would anybody kidnap a child, then drive halfway through the country with it? _It seemed to make no sense. Most abducted children were killed within the first 24 hours, from what he knew, and most likely not far from home. And if it was a ransom case, it would have been better to hide the boy and lay low...

Heero reached for a screwdriver lying on the concrete floor next to the car, but the tool seemed to be just out of reach. Stretching as much as he could the young man tried to get his fingertips on it, and was just about to give up and climb out of the trench when the screwdriver suddenly moved, slowly slipping toward him until he could grasp it.

Crooking his head Heero could see a set of familiar black and white sneakers, ending in a pair of washed out jeans.

"Thanks, Duo."

"uh...hu..." his friend grunted as he crouched down beside the Bugatti. "You finally found that fuel injector you were looking for?"

"No," Heero shook his head. "Just adjusting the wheels and putting on insect repellent, to make sure I'll still have a car left by the time I find one."

"Ever considered using orange oil?" Duo dropped backward onto his behind and wrapped his arms around his pulled up knees.

"Orange oil?"

"It's the newest thing, it kills termites, and it smells a whole lot better than whatever it is you are using now." he wrinkled his nose in distaste as his friend opened a can of some kind of oily substance.

Heero huffed in amusement. "Tell me about it. First time I used the stuff I thought some a stray cat had peed in the garage. Luckily the smell disperses quickly."

"So," Duo switched the subject. "Did you go see the sheriff today?"

"I did, but he couldn't help me. The investigations back then were handled by the FBI, I should have thought of that. But didn't you say you wanted to come along?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. Something came up and I had to leave early."

"Oh."

"Yeah I went to Bolden to pick up something. Say, do you still have a VCR?" Duo remembered only seeing a DVD recorder in the living room.

"Yes, it's in the game room. I haven't used it for a while, thought, it might actually be disconnected. Why? Don't tell me you drove a hundred miles for some cheap old porn videos."

The young man snorted. "Not exactly. Besides, the video isn't for me, it's for you."

"For me?" Heero echoed, his head popping up from beneath the car.

"Yes. After Pete mentioned that TV program "Most Wanted" that aired a segment about the kidnapping I did some research and called the station that owns the show. Turns out they have a archive in Bolden, and they were willing to make me a copy of the episode."

"Seriously? They just do that for anyone?"

"Maybe not for everyone. I told them I was a journalism major writing a paper on old cases like that."

"That's awesome, thank you so much."

"No problem at all. I still don't fully understand why you are so obsessed with this whole story, but I can tell it is important to you. And if you ever feel like talking about it... well, you know where to find me, right."

"Thanks, I'll remember that."

##

Through the half open door to the game room Duo could see the TV running and his friend, sitting cross-legged in front of the low coffee table, taking notes on a piece of paper. Every once in a while Heero would grab the remote, stop the tape and go back to a previous scene.

Somehow he felt like he didn't know the whole story, that there was something that Heero hadn't shared with him. But he also knew that there was nothing he could do about it. He had made his move, by telling his friend that he was willing to listen to him. Now the ball was in Heero's court; the decision to talk about what was bothering him or not was up to him.

The sound of the front door opening made Duo turn his head but he didn't move.

Wufei dropped his canvas bag and slipped off his shoes. As he raised he head ne noticed his friend sitting at the bottom of the stairs. Brows knitted into a frown he opened the mouth to speak but stopped himself when Duo put his forefinger over his lips and gestured for him to go into the living room.

"Should I be worried?" Wufei asked as the other youth followed him into the room.

"Worried about what?"

"About my best friend turning into a stalker." he replied dryly.

Duo gave an amused snort as he walked past his friend into the kitchen. He opened the fridge to grab something to drink. "Want a coke?" he asked over his shoulder.

"No, but I'll take some water."

Duo tossed him a bottle, the leaned against the counter as he popped open his soda can.

"You are not going to tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing is going on. At least not in the way you think. Heero has been acting weird and I am a little worried."

"HE has been acting weird? First you go through his photos now you are watching him from afar, who exactly is the weird one here."

"Like I said it's not what you think." Duo told his friend from their visit to the junkyard and Heero's obsession with his missing childhood memories and the old kidnapping case, ever since.

"That IS weird," Wufei agreed. "But you are right, if he doesn't want to talk about it there is nothing you can do. What about that ghost story, you think there is any truth to it?"

"Let's not even go there. One ghost is more than enough for my taste. Anyway, did you just get home from work; I thought you had the early shift."

"I did, but I went to the library afterward."

"Library," Duo echoed. "On a holiday? Isn't there a law against that kind of thing? I mean a holiday is supposed to be for relaxation and to have fun."

"Exactly," his friend replied. "And sitting around doing nothing is just not my kind of fun."

The other youth took a long sip of coke and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I hope you didn't forget to change your shift for Wednesday. I am going to take your out for a movie, remember; my birthday treat."

"I didn't forget." Wufei assured him.

"Duo... oh hi Wufei, I didn't realize you were home." Heero slipped into his jacket as he walked into the living room.

"Just got back."

"Did you find anything interesting on that tape?" Duo wanted to know.

"Yes, I think so. The boy's name was Makoto, Makoto Itsuki, only son of Makoto Ichiro. He was five years old and spoke very little English, for his family had moved here only a few months before the kidnapping. I'm heading to the library to check something out."

"The library?" Duo huffed. "What the heck is it with people. There really should be a law."

##

With the notes he had taken while watching the Most Wanted show on video, Heero headed for one of the newspaper readers at the school library. The show had aired a few days before the accident. He assumed that it was someone locally who had recognized the kidnapper after hearing about the case on TV, and informed the police. Maybe the press had followed up on that with some kind of interview or report that could give him more information.

He found several articles, but they were mostly about the fatal accident. He was beginning to wonder if, aside from those involved like police and the tow truck driver, people even realized the link between the accident and the alleged kidnapping, when he finally found what he had been looking for.

A reporter from the Daily View had made the connection and conducted an interview with the owner of a small motel near the interstate, who according to the article had watched the Most Wanted show and recognized the resemblance between the kid featured there and a boy who had stayed at his motel the night before, together with a man who he had believed to be his father. He could not recall anything unusual about the pair, but remembered then driving a midnight blue Buick Regal with a California license plate. He was only able to give the police the first 4 digits of the plate, but apparently that was all they needed to track down the car.

Most important for Heero however was the name of the man that car belonged to. He was Odin Lowe, a private detective from Northern California.

_A private detective turning kidnapper? _It seemed to make little sense.Heero frowned as he scribbled down the man's name as well as the name of the motel they had stayed at. Maybe, if he was lucky the place still existed. before slipping the notepad into his bad he quickly read over it one last time, making sure he didn't miss anything.

_Itsuki..._ he mused. _Could that possibly be my real name?_ He repeated the word several times in his mind trying to trigger some kind of memory connected with it. But there was nothing. _It was a long time ago_, he reminded himself as he headed for the front desk to return the access card for the newspaper reader.

_J is dead, if there was a secret he took it to his grave. But of course, there is one other person who might know the details about my adoption. _Heero pulled out his cell phone, dialing the number of his family lawyer as he crossed the parking lot. Charles Gray had worked for J for as long as he could remember, he also had helped him, Heero, with the will and all other legal proceedings after J's death. Maybe he would be able to shed some light on the matter.

####

Heero had almost reached the door when he realized that he had left Wufei's present in the car, and had to walk back to get it. When he returned he could hear the dog barking inside. He rang the doorbell and a few minutes later Professor Khushrenada came to let him in.

He followed the older man through the house out onto the patio were his friends were gathered.

"Happy birthday!" he wished as he handed Wufei the small paper wrapped package. "Sorry, I wasn't able to come earlier."

"No problem; glad you could make it at all." His friend replied, looking the present over from all sides. "Should I open it?"

"Yes, of course."

Wufei ripped away the paper to reveal a book about black and white photography. "Oh nice. Thank you so much."

"Glad you like it." As Heero looked around to greet the rest of his friends he suddenly noticed Duo's somewhat strange outfit. He was wearing a sweat suit that looked defiantly a few sizes too large on him, with the sleeves and pant legs rolled up to make them fit.

At his questioning look the young man's ears turned red and he mumbled something about malfunctioning sprinklers and getting soaked.

"Your timing is perfect," Milliardo remarked as he pulled another chair to the table. "We were just trying to decide what game to play. We got 3 votes for Monopoly and 3 for Cranium, you will be the tie breaker."

"Why me?" Heero asked as he settled down. "It's not my birthday."

"He is right," Duo pointed out. "Wufei should be the one who gets to decide."

"You are only saying that because he and you voted for the same game." Quatre complained.

"But he is right. Wufei you decide." Treize looked at the young man.

"Cranium then. Trust me, you do not want to play Monopoly with Duo."

"Why, does he cheat?"

"I don't know, but he always wins."

"I do not cheat. I just happen to be very lucky when it comes to games."

"You know what they say, right?" Quatre teased. "Lucky in game, unlucky in love."

"I guess that's why Alexander has a crush on you and not me."

_Alexander?_ Heero frowned slightly. _Treize's grandfather has a crush on Quatre?_ he wondered, but decided it was better not to ask.

While Treize went to get the game Heero helped Milliardo to clear the table. He was taking some empty bottles into the kitchen when he suddenly heard the sound of music.

"Is there anyone else here?" he asked as he walked back outside.

"No, why?"

"It sounds like there is a piano playing upstairs."

"Ah... Treize, probably forgot to turn off the CD player again." Milliardo replied. "He likes to listen to it when he is grading papers in the study."

"That's a CD?"

"What did you think it is?" Duo asked cheekily. "A ghost, sitting in the attic, playing the piano?"

________________________________________________________________________________________

TBC

Author's Note:


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 4**

"Mister Yuy, I understand you wanted to speak to me? I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner, but I was out of town..."

"Yes, your secretary told me as much. It's no big deal." Heero assured the lawyer. "It was nothing urgent, really."

"I'm relieved to hear that. Should we set up an appointment then?"

"Actually, we can talk on the phone if that is alright with you? Can I call you back in let's say ten minutes?" the young man suggested. He and Wufei had just returned from the market when he got the call and was still putting away groceries.

"Ten minutes, yes sure. I'll be here in my office, you can call that number or my cell phone."

"Thank you." Heero confirmed. "I'll talk to you soon." He slipped his phone back into his pocket and walked outside to grab a few more shopping bags.

"Why don't you let me finish this by myself and you go make your phone call." Wufei suggested as they walked back into the kitchen.

**"**Are you sure?"

"Yeah, of course. I know where everything goes by now."

"Thanks." As Heero started to walk away he turned once more at the door. "Oh, leave one of those little pizzas out, would you? I think I'll have one for dinner."

"Sure," Wufei nodded. "But I was going to cook for us tonight."

"I thought it was Duo's night." They had been taking turns with cooking and cleaning the kitchen. "But his boss called him and asked him to come in."

"Yes, that's why we switched. He will cook tomorrow for me."

"Well then, never mind that pizza."

Heading for his bedroom, Heero closed the door behind himself as he pulled out his phone; he had the lawyer's number on speed dial.

"Mister Gray?" He dropped into his computer chair. "It's Heero Yuy."

"Ah yes, so tell me Mister Yuy, what is it you needed to talk to me about?"

"I was wondering how much you knew about my adoption."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, long enough to set up an alarm bell in Heero's mind.

"Your adoption? Well, I'm afraid I don't really know much about that."

"You did work for my father for more than 25 years you told me once, which means he would have been your client already when I was adopted."

"That's right, yes....but..."

"You are not going to tell me that J didn't consult with you in such an important issue?"

"No, that's not want I am saying. But I assume you are familiar with the term closed adoption, are you?"

"I am," the young man confirmed. Indeed, he had been reading up on adoption laws.

"Then you should know that the identity of the person who gave you up is protected and neither Mister J nor I had any access to it."

"I really am more interested in the details of the adoption than in the name of my mother right now." Heero told the lawyer. "Why and how did J chose me? Did he go through an agency? If so what agency? ... or was it some kind of under the hand... black market deal? I just want to know?"

"Mister Yuy, I am afraid I can't answer any of those questions..."

_You can't or you won't? _Heero wondered.

"...But I assure you that everything was done in an official and lawful way. So if you are concerned about the legality of your adoption and everything connected to it, I can guarantee you, you are J's legal son and heir."

For some reason Heero had a difficult time believing the man. "Why..." he asked. "Did J never tell me about it then? He knew I had had questions even before he died, so why did he leave me without answers?"

"That I can't tell you, but I assume he had his reasons. Or perhaps he did leave you the answers, but you just haven't found them yet."

The young man frowned as he mused about that statement. "Very well, I guess I have been wasting your and my time."

"Not at all. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, not at the moment, thank you."

Even after hanging up, Heero sat for several moments in thoughtful silence, quietly tapping his fingertips against the top of his desk. _What did he mean? Where could J have left me those answers. After he died we opened his safe and even the security box at the bank. There were just legal papers and documents, a few pieces of expensive jewelry that came down from his family...Where else could he..._

Shaking his head to clear his mind Heero rose to his feet. He pulled an old pair of jeans and a t shirt from his dresser and changed. He had found that the best place to ponder about things was down in the garage. When his hands were working on his cars, his brain was free to work in its own way, or so it seemed.

A good fifteen minutes later he up to his elbows in grease and motor oil as he disassembled the Bugatti's transmission. His mind however started to wander back to the old Buick Regal sitting at the junkyard; the car that had triggered memories in him ne never knew he had. _Maybe I should go back, _he thought. _I wonder if they will sell that car? Is it still considered evidence after all these years? Maybe the sheriff knows. If I could get it here where I have the chance to take a closer look at it, maybe I can remember something else..._

He decided to call the junkyard and the sheriff over the weekend. But first he and Duo had plans to travel to Broomsfield on Saturday, to visit a little motel near the interstate... Yes, he was able to confirm the old motel was still standing, and still under the same owner as in 1988. When he had told Duo about it, they both had agreed that talking to the man might be a good idea.

####

"So, you used to live in Waldenbrook?"

"Yes, until I was about 11."

"What was it like?" Duo had the backrest of his seat pushed back, and was lounging comfortably with his feet resting up on the dashboard, while his friend was driving. They had left home shortly before noon and grabbed lunch on the road. "I mean, I drove through a couple times and it looks kind of..."

"Boring?" Heero grinned.

"Well more like the old towns you see in the movies, with a white picket fence and a dog in every backyard."

"Yeah, pretty much like that. A very quiet place; lots of people come there to retire. I guess that's why they don't even have a decent middle school."

"Is that why you guys moved?"

"Yeah, J always talked about the importance of a good education. How about you?"

"No, I never was concerned about a good education."

Heero gave a amused huff as he gazed at his friend from the side. "You know what I mean. Where did you grow up?"

"Here and there, depends on which year you are talking about. Like I said before I'd changed foster homes quite a few times; even was picked for adoption a time or two."

"But nothing worked out?"

"I guess I've never been the perfect kid." Duo grinned, but the hint of sadness in his eyes as he did so kept his friend from asking any more questions. After a few moments of silence however he started talking again on his own. "It was not really all that bad, you know. A few of my foster families were pretty nice. I'm actually still in contact with a couple of them. Missis Roberts, one of my foster moms still keeps sending me care packages every once in a while. Did Wufei tell you about her famous sugar cookies?"

"The cardboard Frisbees?" Heero smirked.

"Yes," Duo laughed. "He was unlucky enough to find an open box before I was able to destroy them. To be honest, they are actually not bad when they first come out of the oven, but once they cool off... She was always so excited that I liked them that I didn't have the heart to tell her I'd usually only take them down to the pond to toss them to the ducks."

A few minutes later they passed the county line to Broomsfield. Another half an hour or so, Heero estimated before they'd reach their destination.

##

"There it is." Duo was first to see the sign on the side of the interstate. "Sleepy Inn Motel, 2.8 miles," he read.

"That's the one," his friend confirmed as he turned on his blinker and started to move to the right hand lane. Less than 10 minutes later the Jeep pulled into the little, dust-covered parking lot. The motel wasn't very large; consisting of only a few bungalow style guest houses and a larger building that seemed to house a dining room and the reception desk, according to the sign over the door.

There was nobody around as they entered, but a note next to a bell on the desk asked any guests to ring for attendance. Duo hit the buzzer twice and moments later a young man in his mid thirties appeared from a back room.

"Are you looking for a room?" he asked.

"No actually, I'd like to talk to the owner." Heero replied.

"That would be me, how may I help you?"

Heero frowned slightly. He had expected someone a lot older. "You are Vincent Carlton?" he asked just to be sure.

"That's right," the man confirmed. "Vincent Carlton Jr."

"Oh, that makes sense. I guess your father Vincent Sr. used to own this motel in 1988?"

Carton gave him a slightly suspicious gaze. "He did. But what exactly is this all about?"

"I'm sorry, we'd like to talk to your father about something that happened back then..."

"We are Journalist majors," Duo threw in without losing a beat. After all, he had used that same lie once before with great success. "We are working on a project about old FBI cases. Back in 88 your father recognized a child kidnapper as one of the people who had stayed at this hotel and he informed the police. We wanted to interview him about that, if possible."

"That was a long time ago." the man remarked. "I was in college at that time. But I do remember Father talking about it when I came home for the weekend. It was really strange; Most Wanted is one of very few shows he would watch almost religiously every week. He even had a TV installed in the backroom so he wouldn't have to miss it when he was on duty in the evening. For him to actually recognize one of the criminals..." he shook his head as if he couldn't believe it. "What are the odds? Well, I'd really like to help you, but my father left us about a year ago."

"You mean he passed away?" Heero felt like he had been punched in the stomach, he had been so hopeful that some of his questions would be answered today.

"No, sorry, I mean he bought a little cottage near Bear Lake and moved there after he retired. He always wanted to be able to get up and go fishing first thing in the morning."

"Bear Lake?" Heero echoed, feeling a little more hopeful again. "How far from here is that?"

"Just about 55 miles, a little further if you'd take the freeway. But if that Jeep out there in the parking lot is yours you should have no problem taking the country roads. I can call my father and let him know that you are coming. I'm sure he would love to have some visitors; I don't get up there as often as I'd like, running the Motel and all. "

"Thanks that would be great." He was almost about to leave when he thought of something else. "Say, you wouldn't by any chance know which bungalow the man and the boy stayed at when they were here, would you?"

"Room 4 I think, it's empty right now if you want to take a look. The rooms haven't changed much over the years."

##

"Here you go." Vincent Jr. unlocked #4 with a card key and pushed the door open.

Heero took a slow step forward then a second and a third as he started to look around. The bungalow consisted of one large room with two single beds, a tiny kitchenette and a door that let into a small bathroom. There was a little square table with two armchairs in the corner, a dresser with a TV on top... The young man frowned. _I feel like I have been here before..._

Heero turned his head. "You said the rooms haven't changed much, but didn't the beds used to be there on the outside wall?"

The older man gave him a surprised look. "I'll be darned. You are absolutely right; I almost forgot about it. When we got cable installed they had to bring the line in from the outside. But how did you know?"

"I must have seen a picture somewhere. I have been reading up on old newspaper articles and interviews preparing for this assignment."

"Ah, I see."

"Well, thank you so much. I hope we didn't take up too much of your time."

"Nah, don't worry about it. As you can see..." Carlton waved his hand toward the almost empty parking lot. "We are not exactly swamped with guests this time of the year. Do you want me to print you out some direction on how to get to Bear Lake?"

"Thanks, but I got GPS in the car, we should be fine."

Heero might have been able to fool the hotel owner with his lie about seeing a picture of the room, but his friend wasn't so easy to deceive. Duo had turned very quiet, but the moment they climbed back into the jeep he looked at the other youth.

"What happened?" he wanted to know.

"What do you mean?"

"You recognized that room didn't you?"

Seeing no reason to deny it, Heero nodded as he started the car and turned on the GPS. "The moment I entered I felt like I have been here before. It's very fuzzy, but I think I remember sitting at that little table. It was late in the evening because it was dark outside and I could see the moon and the stars in the sky when I looked through the window..."

"You do realize that most of these little motels rooms look pretty much the same, do you?" his friend reminded him quietly.

"Yes, I know. But still..."

"Well let's go and hear what the old man has to say. Maybe he can shine some light on this whole issue."

"Right." Heero nodded.

________________________________________________________________________________________

TBC

Author's Note:


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 5**

"Mister Carlton?" Heero asked the gray-haired man who was cleaning his fishing gear outside a small, one-story cabin.

After making it into the town of Bear Lake a couple of locals had pointed the two young men toward the house.

The old man looked up. In spite of the age difference the resemblance to Vincent Jr. was hard to miss. "Ah, you must be the journalists my son called about."

"Journalism students," Duo corrected. There was a difference between a little fip and right-out impersonation; he didn't want Carlton to think that they were working on a newspaper story.

"So, what exactly did you come for? Vince said something about that old kidnapping case..." The man turned, leaned his fishing rods against the house and closed his tackle box.

"That's right, we were hoping you can tell us a little more about the night when the kidnapper and the boy stayed at your motel."

"Sure, why not. Let's sit down, alright?" He gestured at a small table and chairs on the front porch. "Can I get you something to drink; iced tea maybe?"

"Thanks that would be great," Heero nodded.

Carlton shuffled inside to return a few minutes later with a large pitcher of tea and glasses.

"It's a nice place you have here," Duo remarked as he looked around.

"Isn't it."

"It smells good too, someone must be BBQing."

"Oh, that's my smoker; you like smoked fish?"

The young man laughed. "I like pretty much everything that's eatable."

"Well then, let me not forget to send some of my freshly smokes Bass home with you when you leave."

"Oh wow, but that's really not necessary." Duo assured him.

"But it is; you see I have been catching more than I can possibly eat by myself lately."

"Well in that case...."

"So, tell me what do you want to know."

"Anything you can remember," Heero told him as he opened his notebook and pulled out a pen to takes notes. "Starting at the time when the kidnapper and the child arrived at the motel. Did they strike you as odd in any way?"

"Not that I could tell. They looked like normal people; a father and son on a cross county trip I assumed. It was late when they pulled in, maybe around nine or a little earlier, but it was defiantly past the little guy's bedtime. He looked tired. The man signed in and asked where he could buy a map, apparently he had gotten lost earlier. I let him borrow one of mine..."

Carlton was staring into the distance as so he was revisiting the scene in his mind as he spoke. Heero scribbled a few things down in his notebook and Duo just listened and sipped silently at his iced tea.

"What about the boy; anything unusual about him?" Heero asked after a while.

"Unusual...? He was quiet, very quiet, I guess that **is** kind of unusual for a boy that age. Mine usually never stopped talking. I thought it was just because he was sleepy. He had a cast on his left hand and I asked him if he fell of his bike, but he just shook his head. I had this jar with Lollipops on the counter, cheap sugary things some salesman had left. He kept looking at them so I went around the desk and held the jar down to him... He looked at the man, and he told him he could pick one for after dinner. Oh yeah...the kid was holding a teddy bear."

"A teddy bear?" Duo echoed.

"Yes, I remember it clearly because it was a bit unusual. The bear was dressed in a firefighter uniform, complete with helmet and everything."

Heero suddenly stopped writing and looked up. "Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely. God, he was such a cute kid, I just wish I had realized earlier that something was wrong. Maybe I could have saved his life..."

"Mister Carlton," the young man pulled a small photograph from his valet. It was the oldest photo of himself he had been able to find. He had just started school in that picture. "Can you see any resemblance between boy in this photo and the boy you saw that night?"

"Let me take a look." Carlton pulled a pair of reading classes from his shirt pocket and put them on before he reached for the picture. "Hmm... He was a little younger, but they do look alike, but then again... I'm afraid most little Asian boys look alike to me. However..."

"Yeah."

"The hair...I remember the hair..."

"What about it?" Duo wanted to know.

"The color." Carlton poked at the photograph with his index finger. "The boy had brownish hair, very dark, almost like yours." He gestured at Heero. "I pointed that out to the policeman I talked to, because on TV they said the kidnapped child had black hair. They told me that sometimes kidnappers will change their victims appearance by changing their clothes, hair color and hair style. It seemed to make sense." he looked down at the picture again then up at Heero and frowned. "This photo looks...a lot like you," he suddenly realized. "Oh dear, don't tell me that little boy was your brother."

"No, no..." Heero assured him quickly. "I'm an only child. Is there anything else you remember? You said they were driving a dark blue Buick Regal?"

"Yes, that's right. But other than that..."the man shook his head. "Really not much. They signed in, paid for the night and I showed them to the room. They ordered dinner; Chinese from a nearby takeout place. The driver came to the front desk to ask where #4 was. My shift ended and when I got back the next morning they had already left. Then later that evening I saw the report on TV. I knew at once it had to be them so I called the police."

##

"...Earth to Yuy, please come in!"

"What?" Heero suddenly snapped out of his thoughts. He had been staring at the road in front of him but his mind was miles away. "Did you say something?"

"Exactly!" his friend snorted. "I was suggesting that you'll let me drive for a while, before we end up in a ditch or worse."

"Sorry. Yes, maybe that's a good idea. I really wasn't paying attention, was I?" The young man pulled over to the side of the road, stopped the jeep and took off his seatbelt.

"Don't worry about it. You have been driving a lot today."

"It's getting late we should stop somewhere for dinner," Heero suggested as they switched seats.

"Why bother; we could just feast on smoked Bass," Duo joked with a gesture at the large package in the backseat. "I think he gave us enough to last for a week."

"You know, you are right. Let's stop at the next QuickyMart, grab some bread, and a few drinks. The sky is perfectly clear tonight, we can have a picnic under the stars. There is a great spot in the foothills just outside Waldenbrook."

"You are serious?"

"Yeah. You don't like the idea?"

"No, I think it might be fun, let's do it." Duo nodded as he started the car. "There should be a gas station only a few miles from here."

##

"You have done this before haven't you?" Duo asked as he watched his friend stuff the leftover food and empty beer cans into a garbage bag.

"All the time." They had spread out a blanket that Heero always kept in the back of the jeep on a patch of grass atop a small hill.

"Oh? Who is the lucky lady; or is it ladies?" The young man's voice was laced with sarcasm and something almost reminiscent of jealousy.

"Lucky Lady?" Heero blinked. "J would take me out here, to teach me about the stars and the universe. Did you know..." He pulled his knees up against his chest and wrapped his arms around them as he gazed up into the sky. "...Ursa Major, the great bear, is visible all year long in the northern hemisphere."

"And so is Ursa Minor and Cassiopeia... " Duo replied and at his friend's curious look he grinned. "I learned that in Astronomy camp."

"Really?"

"Really. We also learned that Sirius is larger than the Sun, and the bright one over there, Polaris, is almost directly over the north Pole... "

Slowly and cautiously Duo put his arm around his friend's waist, relieved when the other youth didn't pull away. When he turned his head he noticed that Heero wasn't looking at the sky anymore, but directly at him. His heart was suddenly racing as he ever so slowly raised his hand. He touched Heero's face, brushing his fingertips over his cheek before cupping the back of his head to pull him closer. As he leaned in their lips met gently, almost timidly at first. But when he felt no sign of resistance Duo deepened his kiss. He closed his eyes with a low moan. _Damn, he is hot!_

"Did you learn **that** in Astronomy camp too?" the other youth whispered, his voice underlined with humor, as their lips finally parted.

"Not exactly, but where I learned that I also picked up a few other things?"

"Really? Why don't you show me?" Heero grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling Duo down and on top of him as he lay back on the blanket. He draped one of his legs over the other boy's trapping him against his body. "Maybe we can teach one another a thing or two."

"Sounds like my kind of education." Duo purred. His hands made their way beneath Heero's shirt pushing it up slightly as he started to explore the smooth heated skin. The other youth gasp as his fingertips brushed over a pair of firm little nubs. He dipped his head, capturing the young man's mouth in deep, drawn out kiss.

Heero's finger's buried themselves into chestnut brown hair, his tongue slipped between willingly parting lips. He could feel Duo's body pressing against his own as he explored the young man's mouth.

"Hmm... so hot!"

Suddenly the headlight's of a passing car startled the couple into breaking their kiss.

"Maybe this isn't the perfect location." Heero panted.

"Well, I happen to know there is a sleepy little inn not too far from here," his friend grinned.

##

With a yawn Duo sat up and scratched his head. The bed next to him was empty; the floor of the small motel room littered with pieces of clothing and empty condom wrappers.

_Geez, I can't believe it we actually went all the way last night. How many times exactly __**did**__ we do it?_

He checked his watch, it was only 8:30, before starting to get dressed. A few minutes later he stepped out of the bungalow to find his friend sitting outside on the stairs.

"How long have you been sitting here," he asked, stifling another yawn.

"Only a few minutes. Just got back from a coffee run." Heero gestured at a small carrier with two large paper cups and a bag with the logo of a local bagel shop. "Help yourself."

"Thanks." Duo dropped down on the stairs next to him, grabbing one of the cups and a freshly baked bagel with cream cheese from the bag. Taking a big bite and a large sip of coffee he mumbled: "We probably should have called Wufei and told him we weren't coming home."

"I did. Last night, while you were in the shower."

"Any regrets?"

"About calling Wufei?" Heero asked.

Duo snorted. "You know what I mean."

His friend just smiled, but that was enough of an answer for him. After that they fell into silence. It was Sunday and way too early for a meaningful conversation. So they just sat there, sipping coffee and eating bagels, or at least one of them did. Heero just stared at the ground between his feet.

"You are doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Spacing out. Mind telling me what you are thinking about?"

"About what the old man told us yesterday. You know I used to have a Teddy bear like that; dressed like a fireman. Not sure what happened to it; we probably got rid of it when we moved."

"So did hundreds of other children I can imagine." Duo pointed out.

"I guess," he paused for a moment before continuing. "A couple years ago I got hurt playing baseball and the doctor had an x-ray taken. It was only a sprain, but he asked me when and how I had broken my wrist before. I didn't even know, but he said the x-ray clearly showed the healed damage and from the growth rate he could tell it probably happened before I started school..."

The other youth looked at him from the side. "You really believe you are that kidnapped boy, don't you?"

Heero shrugged. "It's possible, isn't it?"

####

The door at the end of the upstairs hall was wide open when Duo stepped out of his room. As far as he knew the door let to what used to be J's laboratory and until now he has never set foot into it. In fact it was the only room in the house that was always locked.

Curiosity kills the cat they say, but Duo couldn't help but wonder what kind of 'experiment's' Heero's adoptive father had been conducting in there. He knew only the man had been a brilliant scientists, but not much beyond that. Even Heero rarely spoke about his father's work.

Slowly the young man walked toward the open door. If he had expected Frankenstein's lair he was greatly disappointed. The room looked more like a doctor's office, very white and sterile with a few microscopes and Bunsen burners on the table and a lot of processors and other machinery lining the walls. And on a desk in the midst of it all Heero was working on a computer, so wrapped up in his work that he didn't even notice his friend approach.

Duo cleared his throat causing the young man to finally look up.

"Oh, hi Duo. You need something?"

"No, just got curious when I saw the open door. So this is where your Father did his 'wonders'?"

"Yeah, mostly." His friend replied as he looked around. "I guess one of these days I'll have to decide what to do with all of his stuff and start getting rid of things. I guess I have been trying to avoid it till now."

"That's understandable. He was your father and throwing out his things is like the final step of accepting his death, right? But you don't really have to get 'rid' of the stuff. Most of these computers and processors look very expensive, I am sure the school's science lab would be thrilled about having them donated. As for the rest, you could rent a storage unit and... "

Heero's head snapped up. "Maxwell, you are a genius!"

"Well, I don't know about that..." Duo frowned as his friend suddenly jumped from his chair and dashed passed him like his pants had caught fire. He could hear him run down the stairs and when Duo slowly followed he caught up with him in his study where Heero had pulled out several binders from a file cabinet.

"Umm... what exactly was it I said?"

"Storage unit," Heero replied. "You told me to rent a storage unit."

"Yeah well, I didn't mean this very second."

"I don't have to. I think I already own one." His friend started to flip though the papers in one of the binders as he explained. "When J died, all the bills were put into my name. Most everything is set to be up to be paid automatically from my bank account, but they still send me monthly invoices... who knows why they call it paperless billing. Anyway, a few months back I came across a bill I couldn't make heads and tail of. I was going to ask my lawyer about it but somehow forgot. Now I know that it is. A storage unit; J must have rented it back when we first moved here. The builder fell behind and wasn't finished with this housing complex by the time it was supposed to. But J wanted me to the new semester in September in my new school; so we stayed in a small condo for a few months. Here it is..." he pulled out an invoice. "... 1 unit, 15x20 feet .... that has to be it!" Dropping the rest of the files onto the desk, Heero once again dashed out of the room. He hurried past Duo, then stopped in his tracks and turned his head. "Aren't you coming?!"

"Where are we going?"

"The storage unit, of course."

"Of course." Duo mumbled as he followed his friend down into the garage. _But why?_

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 6**

"Something my father's lawyer mentioned the other day, made me wonder if J maybe had left something that I had not found yet? We had already checked his safe at home and safety deposit box at the bank. That's why I was looking at this computer. I figured there could be all kinds of files..." Heero finally explained, as they waited outside the unit at the self storage place for the locksmith

In the car Heero had called the phone number on the invoice to find out the address and location. Luckily their staff was working even on Sundays and after a short explanation and proof that he was the rightful owner, the manager on duty agreed to get the unit unlocked.

"Did you have any luck?" Duo wanted to know. "Finding anything useful on the computer I mean?"

"I hadn't gotten far when you walked in."

"Hmm... I'm surprised he didn't password protect that thing," the young man mused.

"He did, but the password was easy to crack for someone who knew him well enough, another reason I thought he might have wanted me to be able to access that computer."

"Excuse me." A tall man carrying a toolbox made them step aside. It took him only a few minutes to open the lock and hand it to Heero. "There you go. Make sure to get a new one before you leave. They sell them at the front office. I'd suggest to get a combination lock; people always end up losing their keys somehow."

"Thanks, that's a good idea." Heero nodded as he handed the man a tip. Then, while the locksmith walked away he opened the door to the unit.

Duo let out a whistle. The place was quite large, but in no way cluttered with stuff. Still there were dozens and dozens of boxes in all shapes and sizes stacked up against the walls, divided in several distinct piles. From what he could see all the boxes were labeled, and one of the larger piles clearly marked with Heero. Which let him to assume the other stuff belonged to J, probably sorted by personal and work related items.

"Wow!" Heero exclaimed as he stepped closer. "I had no idea he kept all these things, I was sure we got rid of most of it when we moved." He raised his hand and brushed away the thick layer of dust covering the top of one of the boxes. "Heero's school projects third grade." he read.

Following his example Duo found a container full of Heero's children books and more school projects this time from 1st grade. "Chibi Heero must have been a wonder child if J felt the need to keep all of that school stuff?" he grinned earning himself a glare from his friend.

Picking one of the smaller boxes that was only labeled with his name Heero used his key to cut through the tape that was holding it closed. He opened the cardboard flaps and the first things he saw were more books. What surprised him was the fact that he actually remembered reading them...

"Can I open one too?" Duo threw him a puppy-eyed look.

"Go ahead. But one snicker out of you and you are dead." he threatened in good humor.

As he removed a few of the books he found a binder labeled ' Heero's artwork' beneath it. He knelt down beside the box as he started to flip though it and a soft smile crossed his face. He always had liked drawing. There was a picture of a purple elephant and what seemed to be a orange giraffe. On the backside someone had written with a black pen "At the Zoo, August '90"

The fact that his adoptive father had marked all the pictures with the month and year they had been created made the young man wonder if he could use that to figure out when exactly he had come to live with J.

Meanwhile Duo was rummaging through a rather large box as well. "A black morph knight," he exclaimed as he pulled the large action figure from the container where it had been slumbering for ages. "I had the exact same one. They were impossible to find, but I wanted one so badly. I said I didn't care if I got nothing else for Christmas, but Sister Helen told me that I might have to be patient because Santa wasn't able to make as many as he needed. But then there it was under the tree; I still have no idea how she did it."

"You were luckier than me, then." Heero laughed.

"Oh?"

"When I opened one of my presents Christmas morning and saw the morph knight logo on the box I was all excited, until I realized it was the silver one."

"No!" Duo cringed.

"Yeah. J didn't understand what I was fussing about. He said something like 'Silver looks much better than black.'"

"Let me guess; he had no idea the silver knight is a girl?"

"Apparently not, but I told him and that night 'Santa' exchanged her for a black one."

"Adults." Duo huffed in theatrical fashion as he put the doll back into the box and made his way through other action figures, stuffed animals and teddy bears until, at the bottom of the box, he saw something red and yellow. He reached in to pull the toy out and swallowed.

"Heero?!"

His friend turned his head looking first at him then at the teddy bear in his hand, a teddy bear clad in a yellow firefighter uniform, wearing a shiny bright red helmet.

"I told you!" As Heero reached out the other youth tossed him the bear. "I told you that I remembered having one of those."

"You did. Sorry if it seemed like I doubted you."

"Don't worry about it."

"So, did you discover anything new?"

Putting the bear down on top of one of the boxes Heero shook his head. "Nothing aside from the fact that apparently I had a lot more imagination than I had talent when it came to drawing."

Duo grinned as he started to put the remaining toys back into their box, while his friend turned his attention back to the art folder. He closed the container up again and looked around. A small pile of boxes in the corner caught his eye.

"Who is Joyce?" he asked as he crooked his head to read the label.

"Joyce?" Heero echoed. "No idea, why?"

"There is some stuff hear belonging to someone by that name, it seems."

"Really?"

"I know!" The braided young man exclaimed suddenly, a sparkle of humor in his eyes. "J stands for Joyce. With a name like that I'd just shorten it to J too."

His friend rolled his eyes. "She was probably his wife."

"His wife?" Duo turned, throwing the other youth a questioning look. "I had no idea he was married."

"A short time, when he was young," Heero nodded. "She died of cancer if I remember right. He never spoke much of her, but I think she might have been the main reason behind his research."

"He was trying to find a cure for cancer?"

"I think he was trying to find THE cure for cancer. I know he received numerous awards and recognitions for his work on cancer treatments, but it never seemed enough."

"He must have loved her very much." Duo mused. "But there is a fine line between being sentimental and being a pack rat. Keeping her things even after all those years..."

"Hmm..." His friend grunted absentmindedly. He had just come across a drawing that caught his attention. It was not a very pretty picture and from the look at the figures he must have had drawn it when he was rather young. The paper was cheap, wrinkly on one corner and oddly puffy as though someone had spilled something on it and it had soaked up some of the liquid...

Heero nearly gasped as that recognition suddenly ignited a memory flash in his mind.

_He was sitting at a small square table; someone had put an extra cushion onto his chair. When he looked up he could see the dark, star-covered sky though the window. In front of him a piece of paper, and big box of crayons spilled all over the table. He was drawing..._

_A knock at the door...From the back of the room a man walked past him to open and when he came back he was carrying a bag and a couple of drinks._

_"Dinner time," he announced. "Put away your things."_

_The man brushed aside some of the crayons to make room for the food containers he pulled from the bag. "Fried Rice and beef and broccoli, that's yours."_

_Heero moved his drawing to the side as the man put a paper plate in front of him. He reached for one of the plastic fork and slowly started to eat while his 'companion' filled his own plate. For a few moments they ate silently, while Heero watched the man using chopsticks. There was another pair in the bag. He reached for them, broke them apart and rubbed them against each other, copying what he had seen._

_The man gave an amused laugh. "You want to try it? Here let me show you how to hold them."_

_It was difficult to say the least. He managed to spear a few pieces of beef but the rice kept falling through his chopsticks._

_"Here, try some of my noodles, that should be easier." The man offered him his plate. _

_Heero managed to pick up a big bite, but the noodles were spicy. Dropping his chopsticks he reached for his drink. The cup was large and he had to use both hands to pick it up. But the cast on his left wrists made it awkward and when he tried to set the cup down again he dropped it, spilling the soda all over the table._

_The man had already jumped to his feet. He hurried into the bathroom, returning with a couple of towels in a flash, and started to clean up the liquid._

_Fighting back tears Heero picked up his drawing by one corner. He wasn't even sure if he was more upset about the apparently ruined picture or his spilled drink._

_"How, now don't start crying on me. You are too old for that. Let me see." The man took the paper and dapped it with the towel. "There see, no harm done. We'll hang it up in the bathroom and it will be dry and like new in the morning." He finished his cleanup, threw the wet towels into the sink then returned. He put Heero's plate down in front of him again and handed the boy his fork. "Eat up now. No more playing around." he urged as he sat down to finish his own meal. "It's way past your bedtime already..."_

"...is everything alright?" Duo's nudge ripped him from his memory.

Heero nodded slowly, his eyes still fixed on the picture in his hand. "I just remembered... drawing this picture..." he held it up for his friend. "Take a look and tell me what you see."

"Umm...," Duo scratched his head. "A big tank or spaceship, a giant and... a cyborg?"

"Tank?!" the other youth huffed. "It's a big car, a dark blue car. And this would be me...." he pointed at the smaller of the two figures, the one with what Duo thought to be a cyborg arm. "...remember, Carlton said the boy was wearing a cast on his left arm. And the giant..."

"Is the man who adducted you..." His friend swallowed. "Heero are you sure about this?"

Another slow nod. "I remembered that evening, at the Sleepy Inn motel. That's where I drew the picture., I'm positive Duo. Things are finally starting to add up and make sense." With slightly trembling hands he turned over the piece of paper and read the short note on the back. "Heero September '88"

There was a moment of silence as the two friends exchanged a long look.

"You need to see the Sheriff about this." Duo finally told him, his voice serious and firm.

###

"You believe what?" Bonaparte gave the young man a dumbfounded look. Heero had called him about two hours earlier, and the urgency in the young man's voice had caused him to agree on a meeting with him and his friend, even so it was a Sunday afternoon.

"I believe I am Makoto Itsuki, the boy who was kidnapped in September 1988 and thought to have died in the car accident that killed his abductor," Heero repeated.

The sheriff still looked more than a little puzzled. "Do you mind explaining that in a little more detail?"

"My friend and I have followed some clues we found..." Heero told the older man everything he and Duo had done and what they had discovered.

Bonaparte listened quietly, not interrupting him even once, even though it was clear from the look on his face that he had questions. Finally, after the young man had finished his account, he spoke. "This is an incredible story. I have to admit that the bits of memory you have, combined with what you have found is a little too much to be just coincidence, yet....

"There is more." Heero interrupted. "After coming back from the storage unit I went once more through my fath... through J's things. We stopped by the bank to check the safety deposit box, and I also looked into the safe at home."

"You found anything else?" the sheriff asked.

The young man shook his head. "It's more what I didn't find that concerns me. There are no documents regarding my adoption anywhere. I mean, wouldn't you consider those papers important enough to put into a safe place, along with out passports and all other documents that I found."

"What are you saying?"

"I think J might have wanted to adopt a child. He probably also went through the application process...But what are the chances for a single male his age to become an adoptive parent?"

Bonaparte looked at Heero, then Duo and back at Heero. "You think J was so desperate to take on a child that once he was rejected by the agency, he paid someone to kidnap one?"

"I don't know about that. I'd like to believe that's not how it was. J was not that sort of man, at least not as far as I know. But here is what I think... It was a rainy evening, and for some reason J always liked to take walks in the rain. he said the sounds and smells helped him clear his mind. Let's say by chance he came across an injured boy, who might have been carried away by the water in the flood channel after the accident and washed up somewhere. J might have been desperate enough to take the boy in, care for him and not inform the police about it."

"Since we are speaking hypothetically..." Bonaparte replied. "The boy was 5 years old, he must have know what had happened to him. One would assume he would have asked for his parents, wanted to know why he suddenly had to live with a stranger? "

"Maybe he didn't remember. People are known to have lost their memory after an traumatic event." Duo pointed out. "A kidnapping followed by an accident that almost killed him could certainly be consider a traumatic event, don't you think?"

"Duo is right. I never could remember my early childhood until recently. There has to be a reason why I started to remember things soon after I saw that Buick Regal at the junkyard."

Bonaparte nodded. "Very well! I am not as convinced as you are, but I do believe this needs to be investigated further. I'll contact the FBI at once and see how they want us to proceed."

"Thank you, Sheriff."

_______________________________________________________________________________________

TBC

Author's Note:


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

NOTE: Chapter 16 of _The Well_ and chapter 7 of _The Junkyard_ are crossover chapters. I suggest to read The Well chapter first.

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 7**

Class had just started, and Professor Klein was handing out the results of their first test when the door to the classroom opened.

"Let me guess; your dog ate the alarm cl..." Klein turned and swallowed the end of the sentence when he realized he wasn't talking to one of his students showing up late. "Headmaster Stiller? What can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Professor," Stiller apologized. "but I need to borrow one of your students; Mister Yuy." He gestured for Heero to follow him. "Please bring your things."

As he gathered his book and laptop the young man gazed to the back of the room from where Duo threw him a questioning look. Heero shrugged, indicating that he was just as clueless as his friend. He threw his backpack over his shoulder and followed the headmaster to his office only to realize that Stiller wasn't alone.  
A young woman with thin-rimmed glasses; her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, was waiting in the room. She rose from the chair she had been sitting in and studied the young man firmly. "Heero Yuy?" she asked.

He nodded cautiously. "Yes?!"

"I'm Special Agent Une," the woman introduced herself.

"Special Agent as in FBI?" Heero frowned slightly.

That's right."

"You are here about the kidnapping then?" It sounded more like statement then a question.

"Correct again. I was sent to follow up on a report made by the local sheriff."

Headmaster Stiller looked at his visitor then at his desk and back at the FBI agent. "Perhaps I should leave and give you same privacy?" he finally asked.

"That won't be necessary, thank you." Une replied stiffly. "We are the ones who will be leaving. Mister Yuy!" She opened the door for him.

"Were exactly are we going?" Heero asked.

"I've orders to take you to the local field office." On the way out Une nodded curtly at the secretary behind the desk in the little room preceding the headmaster's office.

"To check the statement I gave to the sheriff?"

"Most of all to do a DNA test. It won't take long and it doesn't hurt." she assured him.

Outside the building he automatically headed toward the main gate, and Une reached for his arm directing him toward the teacher's lot where her car was parked. "This way!"

"What about MY car?"

"I'll drive you back to it when we are done."

"Alright." Heero nodded.

##

About twenty minutes into the hour-long drive the young man texted Duo to let his friend know where he was going and that he probably wouldn't be back in time to give him a ride back home after school.

The road was nearly empty, and for the longest time neither he nor Une were talking.

"I assume you didn't work this case originally?" Heero finally asked just to start some kind of conversation.

"Of course not; not even the FBI is desperate enough to employ grade-schoolers." Une replied tongue in cheek.

_Of course._ Heero thought. _She is way too young._

"The agent I'm charge back then retired a few years ago. But I have familiarized myself with the case and even with his personal notes."

"Does it seem strange...," the young man asked. "I mean, for someone to come forward after so many years, claiming to be someone they didn't know they were?

"Unusual perhaps, but I wouldn't call it strange until you start telling me your kidnappers were extraterrestrials who raised you on planet Vulcan or something as part of an massive alien invasion army and now you have special powers."

Heero laughed. Une appeared very stern and a little unapproachable, but he was beginning to think that was just part of her FBI image, something she put on in the morning along with those old fashioned glasses and her badge.

"Don't worry," he chuckled. "I'm pretty sure I lived on Earth all of my life. Although special powers would be nice."

"Don't laugh. I'm not making those thing up. Alien abduction reports are a dime a dozen."

"Really? And I thought that only happens in corny movies. Well, thank you. At least now I don't feel like a complete nut. May I ask something?"

"Of course."

"Why are we driving all the way to the FBI lab? I mean, a DNA test can be done most anywhere these days, can't it?"

"True, but not as fast and efficient as we do it. Considering the importance of this case we do not want to take any chances."

Heero nodded. It made sense. "Thanks," he repeated.

###

"That's it?" Heero asked as the doctor, a young woman by the name of Sally Po, secured the tip of the swap she had taken from the inside of his cheek in a small test-tube, and pulled off her latex gloves.

"Pretty much," she confirmed. "I'll call somebody to take you back upstairs."

"How long... Um..I mean how long does a DNA normally take?"

"Normally, a couple of months at least. We are pretty overloaded even here in our little lab." Her braided pigtails were flying as Dr. Po moved swiftly around between apparatuses and computers while talking to him. "But cases like this have priority, I'll start working on it right away. The test itself will take 4-7 days. So you should know by next week."

She turned at the sound of a sigh coming from his direction. "It must sound like a long time, I understand. You probably would like an instant answer. But unfortunately some things take their time."

"So it's not like on TV were they do these tests during a commercial break."

"I wish." she laughed. "But there is something else we could do. A blood type test. It can be done in less than 24 hours. It doesn't give the definite answer the DNA test will, but if you blood type doesn't match there would be no reason to even proceed."

Heero gave an understanding nod. It made perfect sense. "Can we do it?" he asked.

"Of course. Let me get everything ready." She disappeared into the back of the room and returned a few minutes later with a small pre-packed kit. Sally asked him to sit down and pull up his sleeve.

"You will only feel a little prick," she explains as she cleaned the skin at the place where she was going to take the blood. "Look the other way if you must."

Heero snorted. "It's just a blood test, isn't it? Do I look like I am afraid of a needle. You are making it sound like you are about to amputate my arm without sedation."

"You would be surprised," she laughed again. "I have seen guys who thought they were 8 foot tall and bulletproof pass out at the sight of some blood, and you won't believe how many people are scared of needles. There all done." Sally Po covered the tiny wound with a patch of gauze and a bandage. "If you give me your phone number I'll call you as soon as I have the results."

"Thanks."

She handed him a piece of paper and a pen and he scribbled his home and cell phone number down for her.

"You might not remember this, but we met once before." Dr. Po remarked as she put the paper onto her desk.

"Oh?"

"You were about 10 or 11 at the time. Your...father spoke at a career fair at the school I attended, and he brought you along. You were sitting in the back of the room and all my girlfriends thought you were quite cute." she smiled at the memory and Heero could feel himself flush in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, I really don't remember. I used to travel a lot with J during my school breaks," he explained.

####

"Hey." Duo caught up with Quatre and Trowa at the door of the lecture hall. They had been sitting in different parts of the auditorium. As usually Professor Bower's lectures were well attended.

"Hi Duo, you alone? Heero isn't back yet?"

The other youth shook his head. "Not yet."

"What was that about anyway?" Trowa asked. He was just as curious as everyone else as to why Heero had been called out of class earlier.

"Just some personal stuff he has to take out," Duo replied evasively. "He won't be back till this afternoon. That's why I was wondering, can I catch a ride home with you guys, Heero was driving this morning."

"Oh really? Hmm..." Quatre frowned slightly. "I could have sworn I saw your truck in the parking lot this morning."

"You probably did," the other youth confirmed. "Wufei is driving it. He has work and then practice on Wednesday's so he used the truck."

"I see. But yes, you can ride with us, but Architecture class won't be over until 3:30."

"That's perfect, I have basketball practice anyway. I'll wait for you guys in the parking lot afterwards."

"Sounds great." Trowa nodded."If we get there before you we will wait."

After parting from his friends, the young man took a left and crossed the park heading for the athletics fields. The basketball courts were located almost at the end of the complex, near the locker rooms and just past the baseball fields.

"Duo?!" someone suddenly called out from behind him.

The young man turned, smiling as he recognized the tawny-haired man. "Ah Professor...Treize.... What's up?"

"Is everything alright with Heero? I mean is there anything I can do?"

"Do...? I'm not sure I understand. Are you talking about the kidnapping?"

"Kidnapping?!" Treize's eyes went wide.

"I guess not." Somehow Duo had the feeling a long explanation was in order.

####

Heero wasn't surprised that Duo was already home by the time he returned.

"You were able to get a ride? Good! Sorry about leaving you hanging like that." He put down his back, kicked off his shoes and walked into the kitchen. Duo was sitting on the breakfast counter, his laptop and a bowl of chocolate covered marshmallow crisps in front of him.

"Don't sweat it. It's not like it was your fault," his friend mumbled around a mouthful of cereal. Heero was convinced that no one else but Duo could actually eat that disgustingly sweet stuff.

"Oh, you remembered to take the shrimp out of the freezer. Thanks."

"Of course I did. Frozen Shrimp Scampi for dinner didn't sound too appealing. So, how did it go?"

"Pretty good I think. The waiting will be the worst, though. But it was quite interesting. Agent Une even gave me a little tour of the place once we were finished with the tests."

"Agent Une, huh? What is he, some sort of hot looking G-man type?"

"He is a SHE," Heero clarified. "And I am not sure if she would appreciate it if you'd call her hot-looking?"

His friend grinned. "Good, nothing for me to get jealous over then."

Heero snorted. "I don't think you have reason to be jealous of anyone." He disappeared into the hall only to return a few minutes later through the dining room door.

"Look what I found." Reaching over Duo's shoulder he placed a still boxed video game onto the counter.

Duo's eyes went wide as he recognized the cover art. "Fortune Soldiers 2. How did you manage to get your hands onto it?" The game had only been released a few days ago and every local store they had checked was sold out already, even online there was at least a two week waiting period for the next shipment.

"We stopped for lunch on the way to the FBI lab and there was this tiny Gamestation store right across the street," Heero explained. "Apparently they got more copies than people living in that three-horse town."

"Wanna try it?"

"Well, I didn't buy it so it can collect dust on the shelf. But I don't understand why you are so eager to get your butt kicked by me...again."

Duo huffed. "We will see about that. I have been practicing."

"Oh yeah? Isn't that what you said last time, and the time before..."

"Just wait and see." Jumping from his seat, Duo gabbed his cereal bowl with one hand and the game with the other, earning himself a raised eyebrow and a disapproving glare from his friend.

"No food in the living room, I know I know." he grinned sheepishly.

#

Time was flying faster than the two young men realized as they were playing. It wasn't until they heard the front door open that they realized what time it was.

"Hey, I' back!" Wufei's voce came from the call.

"Hello!" They returned his greeting in unison, never even taking an eye of the screen.

A moment later their friend stuck his head into the living room. "Sorry, practice ran late " he apologized. "I hope you didn't wait for me."

"Don't worry," Heero looked back at him over his shoulder. "It's still early."

"Early enough that I still have time for a shower?"

"Go ahead."

Taking advantage of his opponents momentary distraction Duo quickly picked up some ammunition and reloaded his almost empty machine gun. By the time Heero looked back at the game he had found himself a good hiding place as well.

"Wait a second, that's not fair...," the young man protested.

"What are you talking about," Duo grinned. "All is fair and love and war, remember. And this is war."

"Oh yeah, if you want war then I'll give you..."

The sound of the doorbell interrupted Heero. Luckily Wufei was still around to answer the door. They heard him talk to someone and then a moment later he called out. "Guys! Come here for a moment."

This time Heero was smart enough to pause the game before he jumped to his feet and went outside to see what Wufei wanted.

Duo was just about to follow him when the phone in the kitchen started to ring.

"I got it," he yelled over his shoulder.

The phone was sitting at the very end of the breakfast counter. He picked it up just after the second ring. "Hello?!"

"Hey, it's Quatre."

"Hi Quatre."

"Duo?!"

"Yes; what's up?"

"Listen, I don't have much time to talk. I just wanted to know if you guys want to come over tonight, but you can't tell Trowa that I called."

"Huh?" Duo sounded more than a little confused. "Did you guys get into a fight or something?"

"No, not at all. It's just...," The young man could hear his friend sigh on the other end of the line. "With everything that happened... although he would never admit it, Trowa hasn't really been himself lately. I mean he IS part of the Barton family adopted or not, and even if he never met his 'brother'... I'm trying to get this mind off it for a while, you know. But I am sure he wouldn't like it if he knew I am planning this behind his back."

"I got you. But we are actually cooking together tonight. But I have an idea. Why don't you guys come over here instead?"

"Ah, no... we wouldn't want to impose."

"What are you talking about. Of course you wouldn't impose. Just get your butts over here, it will be fun."

"Hmm... if you think so."

"Yeah," Duo nodded. "I'll talk to Heero and have him call back in a short while to invite you. That will make it seem like it is our idea."

"Thanks man, I owe you one."

"Ah don't worry about it. Talk to you later." The young man was grinning as he hung up the phone.

"Duo!!" Heero called out for him, and he suddenly remember that there was someone at the door.

"What?" he asked as he walked outside.

There were only his two housemates in the hall. Whoever rang the bell earlier had just left and Wufei was closing the door behind him.

"Trowa and Quatre are coming over for dinner." Heero explained.

"I know," Duo frowned slightly. "I was just about to tell you that."

###

Quatre was sitting on the couch, pretending to read a magazine when he heard Trowa re-enter the house.

The young man changed his shoes before he walked into the kitchen to wash his hands. "Sorry it took so long. Guess what, I ran into Heero out in front. They are having some kind of dinner party where they all cook together, and he asked me if we wanted to come."

"That was fast." Quatre mumbled under his breath as he closed the magazine.

"What?" Trowa turned off the water.

"Ah nothing. I was just saying that sounds like fun."

"So, you want to go?"

"Yeah, of course. I mean, if that's what you want to do."

"Yes, I think we should take him up on it."

"I probably should change into something else then." Quatre had showered after they came home from school and was wearing a very comfortable but not exactly fashionable sweat suit. On his way up the stairs, when he was sure that his friend couldn't see him, a wide grin crossed his face. _Thank you Duo!_

Trowa's gaze followed the young man all the way up the stairs. _That was easier than I thought._

TBC

Author's Note:


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 8**

"Duo, turn off that TV and help me set the table." Wufei demanded as he carried a handful of silverware into the dining room. "Trowa and Quatre will be here any minute."

"Hold on," Duo put up his hand to stop his friend's complains. "I want to hear this. The Sheriff is giving an interview."

"Bonaparte?" Heero asked? "Is it about the body?"

"Yeah." Duo turned up the sound so that everyone could hear it. Even Wufei stopped what he was doing and stepped into the living room.

Bonaparte was now answering a few questions thrown in by various reporters then declared the press conference closed and thanked everyone for coming. Just as he walked away the doorbell rang.

"Turn it off," Heero told his friend as we went to answer the door. "That must be them now."

"Hey, are we late?" Quatre was holding a small bag in his hand while Trowa had been entrusted to carry the Gelato.

"No, your timing is perfect. Come in."

"Here is the garlic you ask for."

"Thanks, you guys are life savers. We would have had a heck of a time making garlic bread without it." Heero took both the garlic and ice-cream and headed into the kitchen to put the later into the freezer. He gestured for their guests to follow. "Leave you shoes on; these carpets are more than ready for a cleaning anyway."

A few minutes later the five young men were gathering around the kitchen island. Earlier Duo had scribbled various cooking shores onto pieces of paper and thrown them into one of his baseball hats. It was, he had decided, the fairest way to determine who was going to do what. By the time everyone had picked their paper Trowa had been chosen to be the sue chef who was going to help Heero with the main meal. Quatre and Duo were going to work together on the salad, and it had fallen to Wufei to make the garlic bread... from scratch that is, not one of those prepackaged toast packs that just had to be thrown under the broiler.

"Here, put one of these one," Heero handed Trowa one of two aprons he pulled from one of the drawers. "Dealing with shrimp can be a messy business."

"Don't they look cute." Quatre remarked teasingly, a smile on his lips once the two young men had put them on.

"Not as cute as you would look wearing nothing **but** an apron." Duo managed to whisper into his friend's ear as he brushed past him on the way to the fridge.

Heero blushed and quickly turned toward the sink. "Let's get started shall we. Trowa, do you know how to clean shrimp?"

#

"Hey, Wu how is that garlic bread coming along? You do know it still needs to go into the oven, right?" Duo hassled his friend jokingly.

"Leave me alone Maxwell, perfection can't be rushed."

"Newsflash Wu, you are just making garlic bread not restoring the Sistine Chapel."

"Shut up and watch what you are doing." Wufei shot back as he covered every inch of bread with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, deliberately taking his time. "I'd prefer not to find any fingertips or cut off thumbs in my salad."

"Oops, too late. You should have told me that earlier."

Quarts looked up. His gaze turned toward Trowa who was just adding salt to the pasta water he had put onto the stove moments ago. A ghost of a smile curved the young man's lips as he followed his friends' humorous spat.

_It seemed to be working. He is enjoying himself. I'm glad._

Heero was just finishing up the sauce for the shrimp scampi when the cell phone in his pocket started to ring. Putting down his wooden spoon he reached for the phone. "Hello? Ah, doctor Po. Could you hold on for one moment."

He gestures for Trowa to take over, whispering: "Give it two more minutes then turn it off." The young man left the kitchen through the door leading into the dining room, and returned a few minutes later, just in time to add the pasta to the boiling water.

"What was that about? Is everything alright?" Trowa wanted to know.

"Yeah, just a follow up on the blood test I took today." Heero nodded. Although he was trying to sound nonchalant he couldn't fool his lover.

Dropping his cheerful attitude for a just a moment Duo exchanged a knowing look with Wufei.

"Wow!" Quatre exclaimed as he checked his watch. "I'd never thought any lab is still open at this time."

"I guess this one never closes." Heero shrugged.

"Hey Wu, what about your Mona Lisa of garlic bread?" Duo asked. "Will we be able to eat it tonight, or are you saving it for next week."

"It's just about ready. Hand me a plate, will you."

###

"Staying late again, Sheriff?"

Bonaparte looked up from the report he was reading, a slight expression of surprise on his face. "I had no idea you were still here, Miss Hunter."

"I'm just about to leave. Just thought you probably could use another cup of coffee tonight." the secretary replied as she walked over to his desk and put down the steaming cup in front of him. By the smell alone he could tell the coffee was freshly brewed. And she always knew to make it just the way he liked it, with just a splash of cream, not milk, and a hint of sugar.

"I don't know what I would do without you, Miss Hunter." He took a sip and gave a satisfied sigh. "Excellent as always."

The woman smiled softly. She had been working here for almost as long as sheriff Bonaparte himself. After all these years she knew well what he liked and didn't like. "Well, I'll be leaving then. I hope you are not planning on pulling an all-nighter again." Only yesterday she came to work in the morning to find him still behind his desk. A man his age really wasn't cut out for that kind of thing anymore.

"Oh no," he assured her. "I'll be leaving soon too. The FBI has sent me some files I want to look through first. Good night, Miss Hunter."

"Good night, Sheriff."

As she left he turned his attention back toward the report. _What is going on?_ He mused. _Nothing ever happens in this town, or so I used to think. And suddenly these old crimes are surfacing...._

The files he had asked for and was looking at now involved the kidnapping of Makoto Itsuki. To be honest, until recently he knew very little about that case. Probably not much more than the average citizen who remembered watching the news reports back then. The files included an inventory list and photographs of all the items that had been removed from the car and taken into evidence after the crash. He had read the accident report and eyewitness statements twice now. Was it really possible for someone, especially a child with a broken arm, to be thrown out of that car, swept away by the water in the flood channel and still survive? Every year when the rainy season started there were one or two incidents of people or stray dogs needing to be rescued from that channel, and he had seen the force of the water and what it could do to a body. The child would have to have been very, very lucky.

Sheriff Bonaparte started to check the evidence list. The dead man had his ID and license on him from which he had been identified. Locked in the car's glove department had been a 45 automatic, one of two handguns registered to him. If he knew the police was hard on his heels at least didn't seem to have any plans of shooting it out with them. It didn't seem to make much sense anyway. Why would a private detective with a relatively good reputation kidnap the child of some foreign investor and take it on a trip half way across the country?_ I feel like we are missing something here, something important._

Taking another sip from his coffee Bonaparte looked at the old photos that had been taken of the car. All the windows appeared to have been closed, which didn't surprise him considering that it had been pouring cats and dogs that night. Lowe had still been strapped into his seat according to the reports but there was no mentioning if the doors of the car were closed or open when it had been pulled from the water. If the doors were closed, like shown in the first police photo, how could the boy have gotten thrown out of the car in the first place? But of course there was always the possibility that someone, a officer or paramedic perhaps, had closed the doors to shield the dead body from curious onlookers. The sheriff made himself a note to call Pete, the junkyard owner, in the morning. _He was one of the first at the scene, he might still remember._

####

"You know what we should do?" Quatre asked as he filled his salad plate before passing the bowl on to Trowa who was sitting next to him. It was almost eight o'clock by the time they finally settled down around the dinner table, but from the way the food looked and smelled it was definitely worth it. "We should form a 'Wufei Fan club' and travel along when he goes to his championship fights."

"Like groupie's huh?" Duo smirked. "That would be so..."

"Embarrassing," Wufei grunted. Visions of his friends sitting in the stands wearing T-shirts with his name and waving banners that read 'Go Wufei' jumped into his mind. "So don't even think about it."

"He already has a fan club." Heero remarked nonchalantly grabbing a second piece of garlic bread from the plate in the center of the table.

"Yuy, you are sooo dead!" The look Wufei threw him should have killed the young man on the spot.

"Ohhh?" Duo's interest was roused. "Tell me more. How would you know about that?"

"He told me himself."

"In confidence, Yuy, I told you in confidence," Wufei growled. "You know the meaning of that word?"

"I believe I do. But I'll check later in the dictionary just to make sure." Heero replied dryly.

"And who would the members of said fan club be?" Duo continued to press.

"Just a bunch of freshman girls," his friend finally admitted.

"Some of them even joined the Kung Fu club," Quatre added, with a soft grin. "And coincidentally they only signed up for practice on days their **idol** trains."

Wufei threw Heero another glare, but the young man shrugged and raised his hands in self-defense. "He didn't hear that from me."

"I didn't," the other youth confirmed. "Relena Peacecraft told me, who heard it from Dorothy who knows one of the friends of... I forgot who she was friends with."

"It's so good to know that the people I hang out with would never partake in spreading gossip and rumors." Wufei's voice was practically dripping with sarcasm.

"Isn't it?" Quatre smiled innocently. "Could you pass me the pasta?"

"Still I like the idea. Wufei, is our friend, we should be there cheering him on at his tournaments."

"Well isn't it too bad that you have to stay home this weekend because you agreed to keep an eye on Treize and Milliardo's house."

"Ah that's right." Duo had almost forgotten about that. "So **I** won't be able to go, but what about you guys?" He looked questioningly at Trowa and Quatre.

"Sorry, but we have a few things to do before Sunday."

"My sister...adoptive sister is coming in from Europe," Trowa explained. "She will be staying with us for a few days."

"It's about her brother I assume?" Heero asked quietly.

The other youth nodded. "Yes, she will be taken care of the legal issues involved with getting the body released and buried, once the police is done with their investigation."

"Is she alone? I mean her...um...your parents are not coming?"

"My mother isn't doing so good, the news about Trowa have really taken their toll. Father decided to stay at home with her. Leia will visit them first; leave her daughter with grandma and grandpa and then come here by herself."

Wufei nodded understandingly. "You know, if there is anything at all we can do to help..."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

##

"Thanks again, guys. This really was fun." Trowa nodded at Heero who had walked their guests to the door.

Wrapped in the bodyguard's jacked, Quatre yawned. He had fallen asleep on the couch before the movie even ended. "You sure you don't want us to stay and help with the cleanup?"

"Thanks, we got it covered," his friend assured him. "Come back next Wednesday. Wufei will show us how to make one of the recipes he brought back from China."

"Really? Thanks, that sounds great. See you guys in school tomorrow. Good night." Quatre raised his voice so that the others could hear him, too.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Duo and Wufei had started piling dishes into the dishwasher. At the sound of the front door closing the young Chinese man gestures toward the hall. "Go!" he urged. "Talk to him. I'll take care of the rest here."

"Thanks."

Duo caught Heero just as he walked into the living room to turn off the TV and DVD player.

"Hey there." he greeted the young man, earning himself a semi-amused, semi-surprised look. "And a 'Hey there' to you too. But, shouldn't you be in the kitchen helping?"

"Wufei is taking care of it. He thinks we should talk." Duo plopped down onto the couch, gesturing for Heero to join him.

"Oh? Alright. What's wrong?"

"That was supposed to be my line. That phone call earlier. That wasn't just some courtesy call was it? You want to tell me about it?"

Heero shrugged. For a long moment he stared down into his lap before finally facing Duo again. "As it turned out I am probably not Makoto Itsuki after all."

"The blood type didn't match?"

The young man shook his head. "Dr Po is still going to run the DNA test to be thorough, but she said the chances that it will turn out in my favor are slim to none."

There was another long moment of silence. This time it was Duo who spoke first. "Although I hate to sound like a shrink, how do you feel about it?"

"To tell the truth, I don't know," Heero admitted. "I suppose part of me is relieved...in a way. I guess I should be. But there is also a part of me that feels disappointed. I find out that I wasn't kidnapped and I'm upset about it. Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense." Duo nodded. "I don't think you are disappointed that you weren't kidnapped, but you realized that the family you thought you had isn't yours after all."

"I had been so sure...after all the clues we found... and now I am even more confused than before."

"Don't worry, we will keep searching and I am sure we will find out who you are. But look on the bright side. At least you know for sure that J wasn't involved in anything illegal when he adopted you."

_I'm not so sure about that yet. Why all this secrecy surrounding me if everything was legal? _Heero thought, but he put on a smile for his friend's sake. "You are right. And now let's go help Wufei, shall we."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 9**

Duo woke up slowly. He yawned and cracked open one eye. Next to him the bed was empty. But that wasn't that unusual. Whenever Heero sneaked into his room for a bit of late night 'bootycall' he left early in the morning.

Maybe he thought Wufei still hadn't figured their 'little secret' out. What was different this time, though, was that they had spent most of the night talking and not doing much of anything else.

With another yawn Duo checked his alarm clock. It was shortly before eight. For a moment be wondered why he hadn't hear Wufei leave for morning practice. He usually woke up when the garage door opened. Then he remembered that his friend was leaving later in the day for the tournament. Master Chen never made them practice the morning before a fight; just a light evening workout lots of rest and good food.

_What is Wufei's place in the rankings anyway, now?_ Duo felt a sudden sting of guilt when he realized he didn't know. _I have been hanging out with Heero so much that I'd barely any time for Wu. He is probably downstairs making breakfast by now. I should go help him._

#

Sure enough, Wufei was in the kitchen getting the coffeemaker ready and preheating the oven to bake up some cinnamon rolls when Duo came downstairs.

"Morning."

"Morning, Maxwell. Have you developed a sixth sense for food now? It can't be the smell yet that woke you," his friend teased.

"I always had a sixth sense for food." Duo grinned. "You got anything for me to do?"

"Yeah. you can throw some bacon into a pan. Should we make eggs?"

"Just a few, scrambled?" Duo grabbed a pack of thickly sliced bacon from the fridge and a grilling pan from beneath the stove. "Any idea where Heero is, didn't look like he is in his room."

"Down in the garage, tinkering with one of this cars I'd assume. Isn't that what he always does when he doesn't have classes?"

That was right. Heero somehow managed to arrange his schedule so that he didn't have to go to school on Fridays this semester.

"I'll go get him. Classes or not, he needs to eat."

Wufei nodded. "How is he doing? Did you guys talk last night."

"He is fine...I think."

##

"Hey, are you trying to fix that or break it?"

Heero was trying to tighten the fuel tank brackets on the Bugatti, but his wrench kept slipping off one of the almost completely stripped screws, when Duo's voice reached him. He gave the rolling board he was lying on a little push and popped his head out from under the car, looking up at his friend.

"Great timing, give me a pair of V yaws, will ya?"

"How long have you been down here?" Duo asked as he started to started to rummage through the toolbox at his side. "Did you get any sleep at all?"

"I had some thinking to do."

That wasn't exactly an answer to his question but the young man understood what Heero meant. He nodded, handing the adjustable pliers off to his friend. "And?"

"I'm going back to the storage unit...later today. There are still so many unanswered questions. I feel like we are missing something."

"Something you hope to find in that unit?"

"I don't know." Heero shrugged before he disappeared back beneath the car. "It seems like my past... my childhood is packed up in those boxes, so it seems like a logical place to start looking. If I am not Makoto Itsuki how come do I have those memories of being in the car? How is it that I have the same teddy bear the motel owner saw Itsuki carrying around? And why was the boy never found? The flood canal leads to the reservoir not to the ocean, even if he was swept away shouldn't his body have been shown up somewhere eventually?"

"I wish I knew. You are right, there are a lot of questions, and unfortunately the two men who might be able to answer them, Lowe and J, are both dead."

"Yeah. That's why I hope that hidden in those old boxes might be some answers or even a clue..." The young man trailed off as he strained to tighten the last screw.

"Fine, I'll go with you! Two people can search through a lot more stuff than one person, and four eyes see more than two."

Part of Heero's head popped out from under the car again, just far enough that he could see his friend. "You do realize it is Friday, don't you? You have classes today," he reminded him.

"Just some lectures. I'll have someone record them for me, no big deal...Unless of course you don't want me to come."

"No that would be great."

"When are you leaving?"

"When I am done here. By the way, did you come down here for a reason?"

"Oh yeah. Wufei told me to get you. Breakfast is ready." Duo slapped himself on the forehead for almost forgetting about that.

"What **is** for breakfast?"

"Cinnamon rolls, eggs and... a batch of horribly burned bacon, unless was smart enough to Wu check on it."

Heero laughed, even as he shook his head. "Go see if it is still salvageable. I'll be right there."

###

"So, why are you really coming with me to the storage unit?" Heero asked as he pulled onto the freeway. He threw a quick gaze to his right where his friend and lover was sitting.

"To help you search; I told you already." Duo replied with a shrug.

"Ha," the other youth huffed in amusement. "Admit it, you are just hoping to come across some embarrassing childhood pictures of me."

"I guess, that would be a plus."

"Bonaparte should be in his office by now, don't you think?" Heero suddenly changed the subject.

Checking his watch Duo nodded. "Unless of course he is giving another press conference somewhere."

"Call him for me, will you, and put it on speaker phone. I want to ask him something."

"Alright." His friend pulled out his cell phone.

A few minutes later Bonaparte's secretary connected him to the sheriff's office.

"Mister Yuy, how are you? I assume you are calling about the results of your blood test; I just got them this morning, but I haven't even had a chance to look at them yet. If you hold on a minute..."

"Thanks Sheriff, but that's alright. They informed me last night already about that. I am calling because there is something I wanted to ask you. It's about Odin Lowe, the man alleged to have kidnapped the Makoto boy. From what I understand he was a private detective, right? Do you know if he worked with a partner; anyone who might have a clue to what he was doing and why? ...maybe some family members? I mean, one doesn't just wake up one morning and becomes a kidnapper."

"I understand what you mean. According to my reports the FBI tried to contact friends or family after his dead, to get some answers as well. But as far as I know no one was ever found. Nobody even came forward to claim the body. Eventually he was buried at tax payers expenses in an unmarked grave."

"Alright, Sheriff, thank you."

"Sorry, I couldn't be of more help."

###

Looking around the storage unit, Heero tried to decide where to start. Maybe the answer to his questions couldn't be found in his own boxes but in J's instead. Still he felt reluctant to search through his father's personal things, even after all this time. Whatever was packed up here was at one time or another important enough for J to not throw it away. On the other hand, there could also be clues about J himself in those containers.

_How much do I really know about the man who was a father to me_, he wondered as he strolled over to the small stack of boxes they had looked through last time they were here. _I know him as a scientist and as the man who raised me. The man who would call me twice every day when he had to leave town without me and who was notoriously late for any of my school or sports functions. But he never really talked about his life before I lived with him. Why did he adopt me? Why did he decide to adopt a child anyway? To be completely honest he wasn't exactly cut out to be a family man, and there were times when things would have been a lot easier for him without having a child to care for. So why? _

Still musing Heero picked up the fireman teddy bear sitting on top of those boxes. A slight frown crossed his face. He turned toward his friend. "What are the chances of the Makoto kid having the same exact toy."

"What?"

"The hotel owner identified Itzuki, right? He was the only one who really ever saw him. Duo, how many white people do you think can really tell one child of Asian descent from another?"

"What are you saying?"

"What if Carlton never actually saw Itzuki?"

Duo frowned. "Are you suggesting that he lied to the police or worse...?" The idea that he kindly old man could have had anything to do with the kidnapping himself seemed just too farfetched for the young man.

"No, Um pretty sure he believed he saw what he said he saw."

"So you think the child he thought was Itzuki was actually someone else... someone like you, maybe?"

"It would make sense, right?"

"It would explain why you have the same teddy bear that boy had and the picture you remember drawing at the motel." Duo admitted. "But you realize it creates a whole bunch of new questions. Like what happened to the real Itzuki; if that Lowe guy didn't kidnap him why did he run from the police? And most of all, how could you have survived that crash you said you remembered."

"I wish I knew." Heero sighed. He had started to look through another one of his boxes but only found old children clothes he had outgrown a very long time ago.

Duo pulled a old folding chair from a pile, opened it up and settled into the faded fabric, a contemplating look on his face. "Is there any indication that your father and Lowe knew one another?" he asked.

"No idea. Unfortunately, we can't ask either of them."

"I'm not so sure about that," Duo whispered, the thoughtful expression on his face only deepening.

"What?" his friend frowned.

"Nothing nothing, just thinking out loud." The young man hooked his foot around one of the cardboard containers and pulled it closer. Using his car key he sliced through the packaging tape, he opened it. "More of your clothes it seems," he announced after a quick inspection. "Geez, where exactly is the line between holding on to keepsakes and being a pack rat."

"I think J just packed up everything when he moved and then never got around to sorting things out and throwing the junk away." Heero assumed. "You know what they say, out of sight out of mind."

"Hmm..." Duo suddenly let out a whistle. "You must have looked really cute in that one."

Looking up at the outfit his friend was holding in his hand, Heero shot him a glare. "That's a girl's dress."

"Exactly my point. Is there anything you would like to talk to me about?" the other youth grinned. "Did J like to 'dress you up' or something?"

"Hmph." With a positively death glare Heero ripped the frilly, pink dress away from his friend. "That's not mine."

"Not?" Duo cocked his head to read the label on the box. "Oops, my mistake. But wait didn't you say Joyce was J's wife? Don't tell me he kept stuff from all the way back when she was a child."

"I wouldn't think so. Let me see that."

Heero rummaged through the box his friend already opened, then a second one. They both were filled with toys and clothing clearly having belonged to a girl at one point.

"Did J ever have a daughter?" The thought had struck Duo suddenly.

"No... At least I don't think so_" But what do I really know? He was married at one point, wasn't he? So it was possible they had a child. What happened to her? Did she die too? _

Duo seemed to be reading his mind. "Could it be that Joyce was the one who died from cancer and not her mother?"

"No, I'm pretty sure it was J's wife."

"Hmm... You know, Trowa once mentioned that the Barton's adopted to replace the child they had lost. I guess they knew all along that their son wasn't alive anymore. They say parents have some kind of sixth sense about that sort of thing. But anyway... Maybe J chose adoption for the same reason."

"That would make perfect sense," the other youth admitted. "Except..."

"Except?"

"I am **not** a girl."

"Ah yeah, there is that." Duo scratched his head sheepishly, even as he grinned. "I definitely can attest to that."

Heero snorted as smacked his friend over the head with some Raggedy Ann doll. "Maxwell, you are impossible."

"That's what people keep telling me."

###

"Why is it that every time we come to the storage unit to find some answers we end up finding only more questions instead?" Heero mused on the way home a good hour later. He was sitting in the passenger seat while Duo was driving the car.

"I don't know about that, but you know I was just thinking... About what you said earlier. I think you might be right. If Lowe wasn't the kidnapped it all makes perfect sense."

"Does it?" From the sound of his voice it was clear that Heero wasn't sure what was making sense for his friend.

"Yeah, just think about it. He probably wants to clear his name. That's why he is still hanging around."

"Hanging around?"

"Lowe, the ghost... You know, in his car."

Heero rolled his eyes. "Don't even start with that again. There is no such thing as ghosts, Maxwell."

"Oh really? Well of you say so."

"I do say so." The sound of his voice left no room for arguments and Duo simply shrugged.

Heero raised his head; a slight frown forming on his forehead as he looked out of the window. "This is not the way home."

"I know. Taking a little detour; remember I promised to keep an eye on Milliardo and Treize's house."

"Ah right, they left this morning, didn't they?"

"Yep."

A few minutes later Duo pulled up in front of the little Victorian house. As he climbed out of the car Heero lowered his seat to make himself comfortable.

"Hurry up, I'll wait here."

"No," his friend insisted. "I want you to come in with me."

"Why? You are just putting the mail in and taking a look around, don't you? What do you need me for."

"Well, the truth is," Duo admitted. "I could have come here later, but I brought you along because there is someone I really think you should meet."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 10**

"Meet who? I thought Treize and Milliardo left already."

"They did," the braided young man confirmed.

"Then...?"

At the edge of the sidewalk, just where the steps to the front door started, Duo held his step. "Remember that time when I mentioned Alexander?"

""The professor's grandfather; yes of course." Heero nodded. "I didn't realize he lives here, too?"

"Well, technically you can't really call it living. But yes, he does reside here."

Heero's eyes narrowed in confusion, but he finally climbed out of the car and followed his friend who was searching his pockets for the key. "Maxwell, you are making no sense." he declared.

"Just come, you will see." The young man unlocked the door. "Alexander?" he called out. And then, with a look back over his shoulder, he added. "He is probably upstairs."

"Let me get this straight... Those two leave for the weekend and leave the old man alone, to take care of himself?"

"Hey, hey," his friend warned. "Careful with your choice of words. He is somewhat sensitive about his age. Trust me on that, I speak from experience."

"What did he do; chase you around the room with his cane?" Heero grinned at the mental image forming in his mind.

"Never mind what he did," Duo huffed. Apparently he too was sensitive about some things. "Just don't say I didn't warn you."

"So, why do you want me to meet him anyway?" Heero wanted to know as he followed the other youth up the large staircase.

"Because I think that meeting Alexander might give you a little insight on that Odin Lowe guy. You see..." Duo turned his head, throwing a look back over his shoulder, "The two of them have something in common, something very important."

"Yeah? What would that be?" Heero's forehead furrowed as he wondered what an old man who liked to play poker and a private detective who was accused of kidnapping could possibly have in common.

"They are both dead!"

With an exasperated snort the young man held his step on the top of the stairs. "Maxwell, if you think this is funny...?"

"I am not," his lover assured him. "I am very serious. You see, Alexander isn't really Treize's grandfather. He is his great grandfather. He was murdered in this house, about a hundred years ago, but for some reason or another he chose to stay in this world rather than moving on to the next. In fact, from what I've heard he died pretty much at the very spot you are standing now."

Almost instinctively Heero moved about two steps to the left, even as he glared at the other youth. "I don't have time for this kind of nonsense. Dead is dead, alright. You don't get a choice of staying in this world or moving on. That's not the way it works."

"Fine, let's just go and see then." Duo seemed more than just a little offended that he wasn't being believed. He stomped ahead up the creaking, wooden stairs leading to the attic, followed by his friend who didn't look much happier either.

Duo was known for his pranks and acts of mischief. So if this was going to turn out to be just another big joke...

Pushing the hatch to the attic open with both hands, the young man took a look around the apparently empty room. "Alexander, are you around? It's Duo. I brought a friend along."

With a bit of hesitation he climbed up the last few steps, gesturing for the other youth to follow.

Heero looked around the attic. He had never been up here before. The place was filled with a collection of old things packed up in boxes and trunks, covered pieces of furniture and even a stand up piano. _How in the world did they get a piano up here? _

"Alexander," Duo called out again. "Would you mind making yourself known? You see, my friend here doesn't believe that you , or those like you, exist."

There was no reaction, of course. Not that Heero had expected anything else.

"Please!" Duo pleaded. "Come on, you can't be still angry with me for calling you 'old man'. I meant that in the most favorable way, really."

Heero waited, his patience wearing thinner with every passing moment. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore. "Maybe he just stepped out for lunch or something," he suggested, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "Besides, don't we have to do something to make a ghost visible... like sprinkling him with fairy dust or so?"

This time it was Duo who was glaring. If looks could kill, the one he shot his friend could have positively felled a buffalo. "Why don't you ask Treize and Milliardo when they get back. Remember that time at Wufei's birthday party, when we suddenly heard the piano play? That was him. I am **not** making this up."

"Probably not." the other youth sighed, his voice turning softer. "Maybe you are gullible enough to believe everything other people tell you. Anyway, I had enough of this. There is no one here, Duo, face it."

As he turned to leave he could hear his friend's angry snort behind his back.

"Thanks for nothing, Alexander."

Heero had descended only a few steps when he suddenly heard the soft sound of the piano playing behind his back.

"Very funny, Maxwell." He threw a look back over his shoulder and froze. Duo was directly behind him.

"I'm not doing anything. See!" His friend protested, as he put up his hands as if to proof the point.

And yet, the piano was still playing. When Heero stretched his neck he could see the keys move, as though they were pushed by a pair of invisible hands. The young man swallowed. But it took only a fraction of a moment for the rational part of his brain to kick in. _Electronic piano_, he guessed. _Of course, that had to be it. There is no such thing as ghosts or monsters or things that go bump in the night. Creaking closets, moving shadows on the walls, they all can be easily explained... _

He was about to open his mouth when the piano music died and a breeze of cold air rushed past him. The gust of wind, that's what it had to be, slammed the hatch to the attic closed with such force that Duo had to duck quickly to avoid being hit on the head.

"I think you made him angry."

"Come on now, you can't really be serious." Heero's brows furrowed as he climbed down the rest of the stairs. "How can you..."

The rest of the sentence froze in his throat when all of a sudden something that almost felt like a hand, reached into his pocket. His car keys started floating in midair, stopping right about at his eye level, dancing fourth and back as though someone was dangling them playfully. The young man swallowed, mouth suddenly gone dry. _That's not possible...How...There is no such thing as ghosts...there is no such thing... _he repeated the mantra in his head as he stared at the keys in a mixture of disbelieve and amazement.

Suddenly they moved, floating slowly away from him and disappeared through a slightly ajar door at the end of the hall. A minute or two later there was a splash, and Duo jumped into action with a half loud curse.

"Oh no, he didn't!"

As his friend rushed through the door that let, as it turned out, into the master bedroom, Heero followed slowly. Moments later he could hear Duo curse again from inside the adjacent bathroom.

"What... What did... what happened?" Heero was almost afraid to ask.

"He threw them into the toilet," the other youth explained with a disgusted look. "Sorry, buddy. But you are on your own there. Can't say I didn't warn you."

"So, he is really... I mean he really..." Heero shook his head, still in complete shock.

"Yes, he **is** real," Duo confirmed.

"Is he still...here?"

"Most likely, but you don't need to talked about him in the third person, he can hear you just fine. You know, Alexander," the braided young man added, directed at the ghost. "That was absolutely disgusting, and not to mention childish." A wide grin crossed his face. "I knew there was a reason I've always liked you."

Stretching his neck Heero peered into the toilet bowl. Sure enough, all the way on the bottom, submerged by the standing water, lay his keys. _I hope they cleaned that thing before they left town. _

"Do you believe me now?"

"I don't...know what to believe anymore." The young man still looked like he expected his friend to jump up any moment now, slap him on the shoulder and tell him under laughter that it was all a big hoax. "How is it... possible?"

Duo shrugged. "Don't ask me, I don't understand it fully myself. Come on let's see if we can find some kind of tool in the garage that we can use to fish those keys out. Or maybe you can asked very nicely and maybe Alexander will get them out for you."

"You think so?" Heero asked with a cautious look around.

"No, not really." his friend declared dryly.

###

"So..." As Heero threw a cautious look back over his shoulder while he and Duo walked back to his car he could have sworn the curtain in the window by the door moved slightly. _He is watching us! _ "How long have Milliardo and Treize known about...**him**?"

"Alexander?" Duo asked. "Milliardo was the one who found out about him first. Although he thinks that his grandmother might have been aware of her 'housemate' as well. Treize didn't learn about him until after he had moved in with Milliardo."

"Wait, I thought you said he was the professor's great grandfather, so why..." Heero gave his friend a puzzles look as he unlocked the car. Yes, they had managed to fish his keys from the toilet, without Alexander's help, should be added. But at least the ghost was kind enough to offer a pack of disinfecting wipes once they were done.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you on the way home." Duo suggested climbing into the passenger seat. And then he did, for the next twenty minutes or so, starting at that day when they came across the diary while cleaning out the attic and ending with the solving of Alexander's murder.

Heero listened in silent amazement. A time or two he was about to make some kind of skeptical remark, but bit his tongue rather than acting on the urge. _I know this sounds unbelievable, but after what I just saw, I'm not sure what to believe anymore._

"Then you and Wufei knew from the very beginning?" he asked as Duo finally finished his story.

"Uh huh," his friend confirmed with a lazy grunt as he grabbed a can of coke from the little cooler build in between the passenger and driver seat.

"Who else knows?" He couldn't imagine it was something you would go around tell all your neighbors about.

"Quatre does and Trowa too."

_In other words I was the last one to find out. _"How did they take it?"

"Well, let's just say they were a lot more open-minded than a certain boyfriend of mine. And they didn't have to fish their car keys from the toilet bowl either." Duo grinned. Leaning back in his seat with the feet up on the dashboard as he popped open the can. "But hey, it could have been worse."

"How so?"

"He could have dunked your whole wallet."

Heero cringed at the idea. _Yep, that would definitely have been worse._

There was a long moment of silence during which both young men stared at the road ahead of them. Finally Heero turned his head, looking at the other youth from the side. "So you really think those stories about the ghost are true?"

Duo eyed his friend surprised. "I thought we just established that?"

"I'm not talking about Alexander."

"Oh, you mean the ghost in the car?"

"Yeah," Heero looked back at the road. "You think the people at the junkyard are right; about Lowe still hanging on to this place and his car for some reason?"

"Hmm. I really can't be sure but it would make sense." Duo shrugged as he took a sip from his drink.

"Well if he is really still here and if there is a reason for it, I'd like to know what it is. I think I'm going to buy that old Buick and have it towed to my place." Heero announced. " I've been thinking about it before, but now I'm convinced it's the best way to go"

Duo nearly choked on his coke. "Just a minute there." He took his feet off the dashboard and shot up straight. "Bringing a ghost into your house? Are you out of your freaking mind? I mean have you even considered the consequences; the things he could do. After meeting Alexander you should have at least a hint of an idea. And I'm not just talking about a couple of keys ending up in the toilet again."

The other youth frowned slightly as he thought about. "It's working for Milliardo and Treize isn't it?"

"That's a whole different story," his friend insisted. " For one, Alexander chose to live in that house. He wasn't just brought there. Not to mention he is related to Treize. And still, thing have not always gone smooth between them. As for that Lowe guy; we don't know the first thing about him. And even if by some strange coincident you really are the boy traveling with him back then. We have no idea how he feels about you; about the fact that you survived the crash he died in."

Heero's brows knitted a little more. "Maybe you are right," he finally admitted. "I just wish there was some kind of way to talk to him; to find out what happened."

"Maybe there is." Duo's face lit up as he suddenly had an idea. "Quatre!"

"Huh?" His friend gave him a puzzled look.

###

"Absolutely not!" The finality with which Trowa Barton delivered those words caused Heero and Duo to exchange a surprised look. But before either of them could say anything Quatre intervened.

"I really do appreciate your concern," he said, directed at his bodyguard. "but I could have sworn Duo's question was actually directed at me."

The four friends were sitting around the coffee table in Heero's living room a good 30 minutes or so after he and Duo had returned from their little side trip to 'visit' Alexander.

It had been Duo's idea to call Quatre over to ask him if he would be willing to come with them to the junkyard and meet the ghost of that Owen Lowe guy, if in fact he did exist. Of course either of them had expected the kind of reaction they got.

"However, that said..." Quatre added with an almost apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but as much as I'd like to help you I'm afraid I can't. Contacting a ghost isn't something that can be done like in the movies where everyone just sits around the table holds hands and the spirit will join them. At least that is not how it works for me. Most of the time it's something initiated by... um the other side. Besides I can only sense feelings and emotions and, truth to be told, it is not always a pleasant experience..." The young man explained to his friends what had happened to him at the house on Terrace View, shuddering at the memory alone.

"I... We had no idea." Duo exchanged another look with his lover. "Otherwise we would have never even suggested..."

"Of course not."

"I just figured... Considering the way you and Alexander interact that that is normal."

"No, I'd say Alexander is more like an exception, a very charming and sophisticated exception."

Snorting and mumbling a few inaudible words under his breath, Heero earned himself a questioning look from the blond and Trowa.

"You really don't want to know..." he grumbled.

Noticing the knowing smirk on Duo's lips, Quatre made himself a mental note to thoroughly interrogate his friend the next time he saw him alone.

"So, you really think this dead detective guy might be able to tell you something about the childhood you don't remember?" Trowa inquired after a drawn out pause.

"I think he might. " Heero confirmed. _I can't believe I just said that. Dead people don't tell tales; or do they? _

"Have you ever considered talking to Treize and Milliardo? They should know more about the issue than anyone else. "

"About ghosts you mean?"

"Trowa is right." Quatre jumped in excitedly. "From what I know the two of them did a lot of research while they were still trying to find out how and when Alexander died. They might be able to help you."

"Hmm..." Heero wasn't sure if he wanted to get even more people involved into this. But then again Milliardo and Treize were his friends. "I'll talk to the professor when I see him in school on Monday."

"Sorry, I really wish I could have helped you."

"Don't worry about it, Quatre." Heero waved his friend's apology away. "So," he decided to finally change the subject. "Did anyone hear how Wufei has been doing in the tournament so far?"

##

"Thanks!" Quatre moved a little closer as he and Trowa strolled home from their friend's house a good hour later. "...for worrying about me."

The brunette gave an amused sound somewhere between a laugh and a snort. "A few weeks ago you would have tried to rip off my head and barked at me for trying to run your life."

"A few weeks ago **you would have** ripped off Duo's head just for the mere suggestion of me visiting the junkyard with them," the other youth countered.

Trowa laughed. "True enough. I suppose we both have come a long way."

"Speaking of coming a long way... What time tomorrow will Leia arrive?"

"I'm picking her up at the airport at four. " Trowa turned his head toward his friend as he casually draped his arm around Quatre's shoulder. "Are you sure it is alright for her to stay here with us? I mean, I could always get her a hotel room in town."

"It's fine with me " Quatre assured him. "As long as you are alright with it."

"Me? I told you, we might have had our problems in the beginning but we worked them out eventually."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 11**

Heero Yuy could hear his lover talking to someone, as he closed the door to the basement garage behind himself and slipped off his dirty tennis shoes in the hall. Like most Sundays, the young man had spent the morning down there working on his cars.

"No, I did **not** forget. So, don't get your panties in a knot, okay. "

Duo was on the phone, sitting at the breakfast counter when he walked into the kitchen.

"Yes, I got to go too. Talk to you later."

"Is that Wufei?" he asked before the young man could hang up. "I want to say hi to him."

"Hold on Wu, Heero wants to talk to you," Duo told his friend on the other end of the line, before handing the hand set off to Heero.

"Hey Wufei. What's up?" With the phone tugged between his ear and shoulder, Heero walked over to the sink to wash his hands. "I've heard you made it into the final round. Congrats."

"Thanks." Wufei's voice crackled slightly with static, indicating that he was probably on his cell phone. "I've heard you finally met Alexander."

_Of course you did._ Heero snorted. _By now probably everyone in town has heard about it._ He threw a glare at Duo who gave him his most innocent smile in return.

"Don't feel too bad about it. You are not the first and most likely not the last to fall victim to Alexander's mischief. I'm sure Duo can tell you all about it. But hey, I've really got to go. The bus will leave in ten, with me or without me."

"Alright then. Good luck! Go, kick some butt." As Heero hung up Duo pushed a piece of paper, that looked like it had been ripped from the memory pad by the phone, over the counter.

"You had a call," he explained at his lover's questioning look. "I answered thinking it was Wufei."

"No problem. Who was it?"

"Someone from MSU; you're not thinking of changing schools are you?"

"Me? No, of course not. MSU was J's alma mater. He used to lecture there occasionally and he would use their lab when he had to do any experiments that couldn't be done here at home. But why they would be calling me now," Heero shrugged. "I have not the slightest idea."

"I suppose you'd better call them back and find out."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Taking his friend's suggestion the young man finished washing his hands and then dialed the number Duo had scribbled down on the notepad.

The phone rang several times before someone finally picked up on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" a deep male voice asked.

"My name is Heero Yuy," he explained. "Someone called me this morning and left this number for me."

"Ah yes, Mister Yuy. That would have been me. I'm Professor McDowell, head of the science department here at MSU."

"Yes?"

"I take it you don't remember me."

"I'm afraid not." Heero admitted.

"You father and I used to work together. One time when he brought you along, you and I created our own little experiment..."

"The geyser in a bottle! I do remember now." The young man smiled as he recalled the man, a lanky Irish fellow with thinning red hair, as well as the incident that nearly blew a hole into the ceiling of the science lab. "How can I help you, Professor?"

"I am wondering... Are you familiar with the arrangement your father had with MSU?" McDowell wanted to know.

"Not that I am aware of."

"You see, Dr. J was giving a number of lectures at the university."

"Right." Heero nodded. He was aware of that part.

"In return," the professor continued. "He was given permission to use the science facilities, as well as a 5 year lease for a small on campus apartment."

"I didn't know that. Somehow I had always assumed J just stayed at a hotel during his stays at MSU."

"How the lease expired last month and to tell the truth we are not sure what to do with your father's things."

"Hmm... What exactly are we talking about?"

"Not that much really. I took the liberty to enter the apartment yesterday and look around. There are of course some furnishings and personal items; clothing research books and toiletries. A couple toothbrushes, soap, after shave that kind of stuff."

"Hmm... Is there any way you could hire a cleaning crew to take care of that and send me the bill? Maybe the furniture and books could be donated to the university or some kind of charity. The rest is just junk." Heero paused for a moment as an idea crossed his mind. "On second thought... Did you say there were some toothbrushes?"

"Umm... Yes I'm pretty sure."

"Any chance you could pack those up and FedEx them to me; over night. At my expense of course."

There was brief moment of surprised silence. "Yes, of course." McDowell finally answered. "I don't see why not."

"Thank you Professor. I'd really appreciate that." Heero gave the man his mailing address and after talking for a few more minutes the two of them said their good-byes.

Duo, still sitting at the counter, threw his lover a questioning look as the young man hung up. But Heero seemed in no mood for explanations. Instead he started searching through the pile of loose notes next to the phone.

"Looking for something?"

"Yeah. There was a yellow piece of paper with the phone number written in red ink; have you seen that anywhere?"

####

Sally Po was just about to leave the lab for her lunch break when the phone on her desk started to ring. Throwing a look back over her shoulder she glared at the apparatus, willing it to shut up. But no such luck. After the fourth ring she finally sighed and walked back into the room to take the call.

"Hello?"

"? Its Heero Yuy. I hope I am not catching you at a bad time."

"It's alright," she assured him. _Eating is highly overrated anyway._ "What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering if you could recommend a good private laboratory to me. I need to get a DNA test done; quickly and thoroughly."

Sally frowned slightly. "Are you questioning our results?" she wanted to know.

"No, no. Absolutely not," the young man assured her quickly. "This is something else. Although I will have to admit not completely unrelated."

"Well. If you are not questioning my capabilities why don't you let me do the test here?" She suggested.

"But I couldn't. You said your lab is hopelessly backlogged as it is. And to tell the truth patience is not one of my strongest traits."

"Don't worry I wasn't planning on doing the test during work hours. I can have it done in a week, that's probably the best you will get anywhere."

"I don't know." Heero sounded somewhat hesitant. "You already have gone out of your way to help me and I would feel like I am taking advantage, if you know what I mean."

"Well in that case. If it makes you feel better you can buy me lunch in return."

The young man laughed. "Let's make it dinner. You choose the restaurant."

"You have got yourself a deal." Dr. Po chuckled.

"Thanks. Then I'll drop off the items for testing as soon as possible. Will it be okay for me to come by the lab or should we meet somewhere else?"

"Just call me when you come and I'll let security know to let you in."

"I'll do that. Thanks again."

####

"Another DNA test?" Duo asked as the other youth finally put down the phone and opened the door to the fridge. "Mind explaining what you are doing?"

"I was just thinking..." Heero grabbed a coke, opened the screw top and took a long gulp from the bottle.

"Yeah?"

"J's wife died a long time ago. 30 years or so." He paused again to take another sip and wipe his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Yeah?" Duo repeated, a somewhat impatient edge in his voice.

"There have to have been other women in his life; wouldn't you think? "

"Umm I suppose so." The young man slipped of the bar stool and followed Heero into the living room, a slightly puzzled expression on his face. "So, what are you saying? You are trying to figure out if a woman, your father might or might not have had a fling with, left her toothbrush in his apartment?"

"What?" Heero threw a confused look at his friend. "No, of course not. It's J's DNA I want."

With a sigh Duo threw his hands up in defeat. "Okay, maybe my brain isn't working so well on Sundays. Or maybe I'm just generally slow. But you have lost me there. Why would you want J's DNA?"

"You know they say rumors sometimes are founded on truth."

"Hmm... Are you referring to the rumors that J was actually your birth father?" Duo suddenly seemed to understand. "But why now? You always were so sure that he wasn't."

The other youth shrugged. "It's something my lawyer said. He was so definite about the fact that I had absolutely nothing to worry about, and that I was J's legitimate heir. It made me wonder." Heero had walked through the living room into the hall where he set the coke bottle down and knelt to put on his shoes. "One of the taillights I picked up at Pete's last week isn't working. I'm going to see if I can find another one. Wanna come?"

"Sure," the other youth agreed. "But I've got to be back by 3. Quatre is coming over to help me with some homework. "

Heero frowned slightly. "Why didn't you ask me for help?"

"Well," his lover admitted with a somewhat sheepish grin. "It's not really that I need help. But Trowa is going to pick up his sister from the airport. He won't leave Quatre alone at home. But Quatre wants to give the two of them some privacy. So..."

"...you are babysitting. I got it."

###

"Did he say anything else?" Duo asked as he slipped into the car seat next to his lover, and put on his seatbelt. "Your lawyer I mean."

"Not really." Heero pulled the car key from his pocket and started the Jeep. "In fact he is pretty tied-lipped about anything regarding my adoption."

"Can't be easy for him. A real catch 22 I'm sure," the other youth remarked casually.

"Catch 22?" Heero echoed.

"Well think about it. He was J's lawyer first, right? Let's assume your father told him not to speak of the issue. And now he is working for you. Of course J is dead and technically he isn't bound by their agreement anymore. He could tell you what you want to know but if he did, would you be able to trust him in the future not to reveal your confidential information to someone else?"

"Hmm..." Heero gave a thoughtful huff. "I never looked at it that way. I guess he is a lot more discrete than someone else I know. "

"Me?" Duo blinked innocently, as they pulled out of the neighborhood and headed toward the freeway. "I don't know what you are talking about. "

"No? So it wasn't you who told Wufei about my meeting with Alexander?" His lover gazed at him briefly.

"But he tricked me."

"Oh yeah? What did he do; asked 'What's new?'"

"Exactly," Duo grinned from one ear to the other. "Now, how sneaky is that?"

#####

"You again? Don't you guys have a home or something?" Pete greeted the two young men with a lighthearted smirk as they walked over to his little shack to pay their due.

"Look who is talking." Duo grinned back. "I'm pretty sure you haven't left that booth since I started college."

"At least I have an excuse for not wanting to spend my weekend at home. - **I'm** married. So, what are you looking for today?"

"Just another taillight." Heero replied. "One of them wasn't working."

"Ah, that's too bad. Sorry about it."

The junkyard owner sounded genuinely apologetic. But Heero just waved it away with a dismissive gesture. "Don't worry about it. I've been getting more than my money's worth so far. Besides this IS a junkyard after all; can't expect warranties, right?"

With another wave back at Pete the two young men were on their way. But as they headed toward the deeper parts of the yard where the older models were stashed, Heero instinctively felt himself drawn to where the old Buick stood.

"Did you hear about the STYP concert next month at the Forum? You know people who know people, right? Any chance you could score us some tickets? I'm sure Wu would want to go too; maybe Quatre and Trowa also."

When he didn't receive an answer Duo looked back over his shoulder only to realize that he had been talking to himself.  
_Heero?_ Brows furrowed into a frown, the young man looked around, just in time to see his friend disappear behind the gutted out cabin of a rusty old 18 wheeler. His frown only deepened. _What is he up to?_

Although it felt as though the car was actually beckoning him, once he got closer Heero couldn't help the wave of trepidation that washed over him. Hesitantly her slowed his steps until he came to hold a good 10 yards from the Buick. _Is there any way to tell if he is really here?_ Instinctively his fingers tightened around the car key in his pocket.

_I want to remember what happened when I was little. But I am also worried about __**what**__ I might remember. What was it Duo said... 'Sometimes we forget things for our own protection'. Once the genie is out of the bottle you can't just put him back in, right? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. _

Heero was slowly turning away when he was suddenly struck by another flash of memory. Far shorter than the first one, more like a single picture only, yet long and vivid enough to burn itself into his memory.

The young man gasped. _That was..._

"Are you alright?" His lover's voice was laced with concern as he caught up with Heero.

He nodded slowly. "I'm fine. I think I just saw my mother."

"What? Where?" The braided young man looked around confused.

"No, in my mind," the other youth explained. "At least I believe it was her. I saw some kind of picture of her. She was holding a baby in her arms."

"You think the baby was you?"

Heero shrugged. "I'm not sure. But... she looked happy. Duo, if this was HIS doing I want to know more."

"Alright," Duo agreed, even as grabbed his lover by the arm and pulled him away from the Buick, his eyes never leaving the badly damaged car. "But let's put that off until we had a chance to talk to Milliardo and Treize. Remember what Quatre told us, what happened to him?"

Heero nodded absentmindedly as he followed Duo, but not without another look back over his shoulder.

"But that proofs it, right?"

"What proofs what?"

"The connection...between Lowe and me."

"I suppose so. IF the woman you saw indeed is your mother, and IF he was responsible for that...umm vision. However..."

"However?" The young man echoed.

"You do realize that would open a whole new can of worms, right?"

"Yeah. I guess. Like who was...is my mother and what was her connection to J."

"Well, maybe she was just a single mother who decided to give you up for adoption. Happens all the time. The picture might have been something given to your father by the adoption agency."

"Not if it was a closed adoption like J insisted it was."

"So he lied about that, huh? I wonder why? But of course there are other possibilities. Especially if you hunch that J might actually be your birth father is right." Duo mused as the two young men strolled through the junkyard.

"Yeah?" Heero threw his lover a curious look.

"From what you saw how old do you think your mother was?"

"I don't know." Heero shrugged. "Young. Why?"

"Well, I was thinking. J was lecturing at schools all around the country...the world. What if science wasn't the only subject he was educating his female students in? A little fling here, a bit of a hanky panky there and 9 months later you get the big 'Oops'; if you know what I mean."

Heero's brows furrowed. He wasn't sure he liked where Duo's story was going. But at the same time he had to admit that it made sense. Fathering a child with one of his students could have ended J's career, and depending on the girl's age could have even sent him to jail. Taking in and raising the child on his own might have been a way of hushing things up. But... "That still wouldn't explain the involvement of a private detective. How does Lowe fit into all this?"

"Okay, different scenario." Duo mused. "What if... J is involved with a woman, she becomes pregnant, the two of them break up before the baby is born. He finds out about the child, decides that he wants to be a father. So he hires the detective to find his ex... Wouldn't be the first time a father kidnaps his own child."

The frown on Heero's face deepened. He couldn't say that he like this scenario any more than the first. His lover seemed to be reading his mind because he suddenly shrugged.

"Hey, I am just saying there are a lot of possibilities. The truth might lie in a totally different direction, though. However, standing here hypothesizing about it won't get us anywhere. And it won't get you that missing taillight either." He pulled a screw driver from the back pocket of his jeans and gestured at pile of old thunderbird parts. "Get going; we don't have all day."

With a huff Heero grabbed the tool from his hand. "Slave driver!" _Maybe you are right. I need to focus on something else for a while. Thanks.

* * *

_

TBC

Author's Note:


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 12**

"Wu?" Duo Maxwell knocked at the door to his friend's room. "Are you home?"

"Yeah, come in."

Wufei was sitting at his desk over a bunch of open books as Duo entered.

"What are you up to?"

"Finishing my Physics report. Or at least I was hoping to before you knocked. What do you need?"

"What, you mean you just won the school their first MA championship trophy and they still make you do your homework?" The braided young man huffed as he threw himself across his friend's bed . "That's just fundamentally wrong, you know that right?"

"You care telling that to Professor Snyder?"

"Me?" Duo grinned lopsidedly. "I think not. Maybe it's for the best anyway. I've heard studying is good for you; keeps your mind active. So, go ahead do your homework."

"When have you become so concerned about me and my mind, Maxwell? And get those dirty shoes off my bed. I just washed the sheets. How did you manage to sneak past Heero with your shoes on anyway?"

"He is over at Quatre's fixing his computer," the other youth explained. He swung his feet over the side of the bed to pick off his shoes then flopped back into the pillows, crossing his arms behind his head.

His friend scowled down at the sneakers then at Duo. "So, you are just bored or is there a reason why you are here?"

"I need your advice."

"Alright." Wufei put down his highlighter, turned his deckchair around and gave the other youth a questioning look. He figured the sooner he got this over with the sooner he could get back to finishing his homework. "What kind of advice?"

"Let's assume you are in a relationship... a committed relationship..."

"Hold it right there." The young man raised his hand. "You are talking to the wrong person for relationship advice."

"Just listen okay. Would you want to know it if your boyfriend...girlfriend whatever, is cheating on you?"

"You think Heero is cheating on you?"

"No... I mean, is he? What did you hear?" Duo bolted upright.

"I didn't hear anything."

"Then why did you bring it up?"

"I didn't." Wufei pointed out. "You did."

"Ah, well anyway. I think Treize is cheating on Milliardo."

"What? Professor Khushrenada?"

"Why does everybody asked that? How many other people named Treize do you know? And how many of them would be cheating on Milliardo?"

"Sorry, but I just can't believe it."

"Well believe it. I saw him getting kissed by a woman in public."

"Are you sure?" Wufei frowned.

"Positive. So what should I do?"

"Keep your mouth shut and your nose out of it."

"But...," the young man protested. "Milliardo is my friend."

"Exactly. But so is Treize. And if you want to keep it that way it is best not to get involved. It's personal and it's none of our business."

"Hmm..."

"You wanted my advice, so take it."

"Fine, I won't say anything to Milliardo."

"It's for the best, trust me. For all we know the two of them have a very open, non exclusive relationship. I mean you said yourself that Treize and that woman kissed in public so it doesn't sound like they were trying to hide something."

"Alright, alright I got it."

"Got what?" Heero Yuy was standing in the door Duo had left open when he entered the room.

"Nothing," the young man shook his head. "Just some Physics problem I needed help with. Didn't realize you are back already. Where you able to fix the machine?"

"The computer I can't fix has yet to be invented," his lover replied, and Duo gave a semi-amused snort.

"That's what I love about you; always so modest."

"I don't see any reason for FALSE modesty" Heero shot back. "Say aren't you working today?"

"Just about to leave. Why?"

"Want to take the jeep?" Heero remembered that the ignition on Duo's car has been acting up again but.

"You won't need it?"

"I'm taking the corvette tonight. Can't take Dr. Po out in the jeep. Which reminds me... I won't be home for dinner tonight, so don't wait up. Not sure when I'll make it home, actually." Heero checked his watch. "I'd better jump in the shower and get going. See you guys later." He nodded at friends before he left.

Wufei waited until he was sure the young man was out of earshot before he turned toward Duo. "Doctor Po; isn't that the scientist woman from the FBI lab? The one that did his DNA test?"

"Yeah, Heero is dropping something off at the lab."

"And he his taking her out for dinner? And you think **Milliardo** should be the one worried about infidelity?"

"Hey!" Duo glared at his friend. "It's nothing like that, alright. It's a strict business arrangement between the two of them."

"Isn't that what they all say?" Wufei turned his chair toward the desk again to conceal the grin on his face. He would have been lying if he said that he didn't enjoyed teasing his friend every once in a while.

The braided young man huffed and grumbled something that sounded like "I'm happen to trust Heero" shuffling out of the room.

"Take your shoes with you!"

###

"Ah Heero, come in come in." Dr. Po emphasized her invitation with a few hand gestures."Thanks Ron for bringing him down here."

The security guard, a middle aged man with full dark hair and an olive completion, tipped his non-existing hat. "My pleasure, Doctor Po."

As Heero walked through the sliding door the electronic visitors badge he was wearing activated the security monitor and it blinked briefly.

Sally Po was wearing a pristine white lab coat just like she had the first time they'd met. She waved the young man into her small office.

"Have seat. I wasn't expecting you for another half an hour or so. I hope you don't mind waiting while I finish this report."

"Of course not." He slipped into the chair across from her. "I managed to get on the freeway before rush hour hit. Made quite a difference." He looked around the room as she went back to typing away on her laptop.

It is said that you can tell a lot about a person just from their surroundings. If that was true, the doctor would have to be a very organized and also very social person. Everything on her desk was neatly arranged, from the notepads to the pencils and pens in the little black mesh holder. the same could be said about the photos on the walls that pictured with different groups of people in various locations. Apparently she also liked to travel.

After about ten minutes Sally closed her computer with a sigh of relief. "All done," she announced. "Now what is it you have brought me?"

Heero rummaged in his backpack finally pulling out a plastic bag with a pair of toothbrushes. "They are rather old but I am hoping you might be able to extract DNA from at least one of them; enough to run a test."

She picked up the bag holding it up into the air. "Let's find out, shall we?"

He followed her through the main lab to a smaller closed-off room. But as he passed the security monitor at the door the device suddenly began to beep.

Sally spun around and quickly punched in her security code, overriding the alarm.

"Oops I forgot you now need special clearance to enter the test lab. I suppose they don't want visitors to get too nosy. Sorry about that."

"No problem at all," he assured her. "I'll just wait out here. Would it be alright if I take a look around or does that also fall under 'being too nosy'?"

The doctor chuckled. "Go right ahead. Just don't touch anything," she warned. "I'll be back soon."

The door to the test lab closed with a swoosh behind her, and Heero buried his hands deep in his pockets as he started to study the variety of computers and tools around him. It was a rather impressive array of devices most of which he could not even identify much less speculate what they might be used for.

By the time Dr. Po returned the young man was studying a picture on the wall.

"That's me and some colleagues in the Peruvian Andes, a couple of years ago," the young woman explained as she pulled off a pair of latex gloves and tossed them into a trash can. "We were part of an expedition looking for 'ice maidens' the frozen, mummified remains of young girls that had been sacrificed to the gods many centuries ago."

"I think I read something about that somewhere." Heero turned his head. "Sounds interesting."

"Interesting yes, but also very cold. I think the next time I'll volunteer for a dig in Hawaii or maybe Africa. As for your test, I took several samples. By tomorrow morning we will know if there is enough biological material to extract DNA."

"Okay, what's next?"

She shrugged. "Nothing but waiting."

"Dinner then?" he suggested. "Or do you still have to work?"

"My shift ended 25 minutes ago. So dinner it is."

"What restaurant have you decided on?"

"I haven't; I couldn't," she admitted. "Why don't you pick one instead."

"Me?"

"It's only fair considering you will be paying."

"Hmm... What do you like to eat?"

"Pretty much everything. I am not very picky. Steak, burgers, fish... you name it I'll eat it."

"Really? That surprises me. I thought you are one of those woman who lives mostly on salad and tofu, considering how thin you are."

"Thank you... I guess." She laughed and Heero's ears turned red.

"That didn't come out the way it was supposed to. I wasn't trying to say you are too thin or anything. In fact I think you look good... Darn I am not good at this stuff." He turned even redder but finally managed to get his foot out of his mouth. "So anyway... If it is steaks you like, how about McCormick's Steakhouse? It's only a 20 minute drive from here."

"McCormick's?" She echoed tongue in cheek. "I didn't realize they allow mere mortals there."

"I always considered myself a mere mortal."

Sally gave another laugh. The young man's candor was almost comical but at the same time very refreshing in this day and age were most people were afraid to step on someone's toes.

"Is there food really as good as they say?"

"Let's just say my father never ate steak at a restaurant except there. Everyone else, according to him, was just serving charred beef."

"Well then." Dr Po announced as she slipped off her lab coat, revealing a pair of tan pants and a brown shirt beneath it. "McCormick's it is."

#

The elevator took them to the main floor where the lobby and the heart of the building, the control center, was located.

"I have to drop off the keys very quick." Sally Po explained as she headed through the double wide sliding doors. The room behind it was large and filled with desk, computer stations and video screens.

Compared to the last time Heero had been here, it was almost deserted. Most agents had probably left when the day shift ended and only the night crew was in the house. He watched as Sally took the keys to the lab to a desk in the far corner and signed for their delivery.

As they headed back out they nearly collided with another woman when the doors slid open. She wore a black pantsuit, had her hair pulled back and stared at them through thin rimmed glasses.

"Special Agent Une. I didn't realize you were on duty tonight."

"Agent Meyers called in sick. Were you looking for me?"

"No, I was just turning in my keys."

"Mister Yuy." Her eyes wandered over him. "Nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you too Agent Une."

"Special agent Une," she corrected sharply.

"Yes of course." Heero swallowed and almost instinctively snapped to attention. - And he didn't even have a military background. "I'm sorry."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, I'm just here to pick up Dr. Po, Ma'am."

"I see. Well then have a pleasant evening."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

As the door closed behind them Heero let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.

Sally chuckled quietly. "She can be scary if she wants to."

"No argument here." Even though he had seen Une's other side before. It was hard not to be intimidated by her stern face and firm gaze.

"My car is up front," he told the doctor as they finally left the building.

Sally gave an impressed whistle at the sight of the silver corvette. "That's what I call a ride. How fast is it?"

"0 to 60 in 3.0 seconds, top speed 205 miles per hour."

"Have you ever tried it?"

As the young man hesitated she nudged him with her elbow. "Come on. Do I look like I would tell big brother?"

He grinned and finally admitted. "Once in the middle of the night on a deserted freeway I went up to 150. It was such a rush."

"I can imagine." He could have almost sworn there was a hint of envy in her voice.

###

"I'm back. Anybody home?" Treize slipped off his shoes and set his briefcase, the one Milliardo had given him for their six months anniversary, down on the little bench in the hall.

There was no answer; no barking or yelping from the backyard, not even the familiar rush of air that accompanied Alexander's appearance. It seems that indeed no one was home. A somewhat strange feeling, the professor had to admit. He couldn't even remember the last time he came home to a completely deserted house.

As he pulled out his phone and flipped it open, he tugged at his tie with the other hand, tossing it over one of the chairs when he entered the living room. He had Milliardo's number on speed dial. His lover picked up after the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Milliardo it's me. I just got home. Where are you?"

"At the park. Sorry, I should have left a note. But I thought we would get back before you."

"I take it Alexander and Cabal are with you then?"

"Yes of course. We will head back then, see you in a bit."

"Hold on Milliardo," he stopped the young man before he could hang up. "Give me five minutes to change and then I'll catch up with your guys. I read something about a little street fair down on Antique Rose tonight. Maybe we can drive over and check it out."

"Are you sure? You had a busy day, aren't you tired?"

"We don't have to stay very long. I'm sure it will be fun." Treize assured him. "See you soon. I love you."

"I love you too."

The professor smiled as he hung up. Not too long ago Milliardo would say those words barely when they were in private, much less in a so public place as the park. He whistled quietly as he headed upstairs to change from his three piece suit into something a little more comfortable.

As he pulled out a pair of jeans and a short sleeved shirt he made himself a mental note to put the doggy seatbelts into the BMW. _Maybe we should get a second set, one for each car, now that Alexander discovered the joy of the automobile. _

Yes, their little excursion the other night had gone better than expected. Alexander had taken to riding in the car like a pro, which had made Treize and Alexander wonder if perhaps it had not really been his first excursion in a 'motorized carriage'. If he thought about it, Milliardo had mentioned that his grandmother seemed to know about the ' ghost in the attic', and she had learned about him from her father. Maybe Alexander used to interact with prior generations of the Peacecraft dynasty in the same way he did with them, and maybe they had included him also into their family life.

In any case, their planned quiet evening at home on Sunday turned into a long drive through town, much to Alexander's enjoyment it seemed. That's why Treize thought, after reading about the street fair, it might be fun to visit the event.

The professor hung his dark-gray business suit back into the closet and took a last look into the mirror before, satisfied with his appearance, he left the bedroom.

Antique Rose was just around the corner from where the old Peacecraft house used to be. _I wonder if the neighborhood still looks anything like back when he and Octavian dated. _

A wave of nostalgia washed over Treize; perhaps brought on by his unexpected meeting with Leia earlier in the day. _After all these years, who would have thought we would run into each other again?_ _I wonder how things would have turned out if she had not changed jobs back.

* * *

_

TBC

Author's Note: If it seems or sounds like there is something missing here or there, please remember to read both 'The Well' and "the Junkyard'. Since they are crossover-stories, events that happen in one fic might be mentioned or influence the storyline of the other.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 13**

Although McCormick's Steakhouse had a number of valets lined up beside their large covered entrance, Heero Yuy steered his car toward the self-parking lot. For some reason the Corvette always seemed to be prone to more bumps and dents than other cars, and he figured if someone was going to do the denting it might as well be him.

Sally Po looked at the restaurant then at young man next to her who was dressed in an expensive pair of jeans and a T-shirt that hadn't come from a discount store either. "No offense, but don't have most of these upscale places some kind of dress code?"

"Ah, yes." He gestured over his shoulder onto a ridiculously small 'emergency seat' in the back. "I wasn't sure where we would be going so I brought a sports coat, just in case. J always told me to be prepared for anything."

"It only proofs what I long knew; your father was a smart man." She smirked while he parked the car and reached for the jacket in the back.

"If you don't mind," he asked. "There should be a tie in the glove box."

The doctor pushed the button that opened the small compartment in the dashboard in front of her. As she pulled out the thin black and silver pinstriped tie something else came free, dropping to the floor beneath her seat. One eyebrow raised in amusement the young woman picked up the small, colorful box of condoms. "Prepared for everything, indeed."

Flushing bright red Heero grabbed both tie and condoms, quickly stuffing the later back into the glove compartment before he slipped on the sports coat.

Sally chuckled silently. "Do you need help with that?" she asked gesturing at his tie.

"Thanks, I can manage."

#

"How can I help you?" The maître'd asked in a slightly nasally voice as Heero and Sally entered the restaurant.

"Table for two, please," the young man requested.

"And the name is?" The thin, lanky man looked down at his reservation book.

"We don't have reservations." Heero explained. "But we don't mind waiting a while."

"Of course. Let me see. I can have a table ready for you at 7... Next Thursday." The hint of sarcasm in his voice was hard to miss.

Heero was about to reply something when a short, corpulent man with thinning hair, who had been talking to people in the back of the room, seemed to notice them and suddenly weaseled toward the entrance.

"Seniore Yuy!" He spread his arms and for a moment it almost looked like was going to embrace the young man. But at the last moment he stopped himself, settling for a firm handshake instead.

"It' been such a long time since we have seen you here. And who is this beautiful lady?"

"Sally Po," she introduced herself as he took her hand and gallantly placed a kiss onto her fingers. "It's a pleasure. Gaston prepare a table for Seniore Yuy and his lovely companion, pronto."

"Of course Mister Bartoli, right away," the maître'd replied with a forced smile.

"Please have a seat at the bar while you wait. You'll have to try our new antipasto sampler." Bartoli waved for the bar keeper as he ushered his guests toward two empty seats. "Enjoy the evening. And please excuse me as I go to check on the kitchen"

Dr. Po's eyes followed the little man as he disappeared behind a swinging door. "What just happened?"

Heero shrugged as he ordered a cherry coke; he never drank alcohol when he was driving. Sally opted for a small cocktail which the barkeeper served in a sugar rimmed glass with a cherry.

"As I mentioned J really loved the steaks here, so much in fact that he decided to invest a little in the restaurant," Heero explained as he sipped his drink. "About 2 or 3 years after McCormick's originally opened it almost burned down - some kind of electrical failure. One of the original owner's pulled out and Alfonso took the restaurant over on his own, but he was a little cash strapped. J financed the renovation costs to make sure he still would be able to eat his favorite steaks whenever he wanted."

Sally gave the young man a surprised look. "So, does that mean you are something like a part owner of this place?"

"Only an investor," he clarified. "And even that mainly on paper. So, should we follow Alfonso's advice and start with his famous appetizers?"

"No argument here. I don't think **Gaston **will be trying to set a speed record getting our table ready," she smirked. "And the smells in here make my stomach rumble."

#

_I wish would could put a leash on him too. _Treize sighed as he hurried to follow Alexander's 'presence' before it got lost between the colorful stalls and attractions lining Antique Rose. As soon as they arrived he had started to question his own wisdom of coming to the street fair. The crowd was much larger than he had expected, and the music and noise distracting. Keeping one's eyes - or whatever senses - on Alexander could proof difficult.

_At least, _he thought as he closed his hand tightly around the diary in his pocket. _He can't stray too far. In a way I suppose it is like a leash for him. _

Cabal on the other hand never seemed to have any problem following his ghostly master. Perhaps it was true that animals had some kind of special sense for the supernatural.

The street fair, from what Treize understood, was an annual event held at the beginning of the harvest season. Vendors were offering freshly grown produce, along with food and homemade wine samples. There were also handmade jewelry, paintings and all kind of other things for sale. A small carnival was offering entertainment for the children and those who grew big but never up.

Making their way down the street the unusual quartet stopped here and there to check out a booth or watch a performer in his act.

The delicious smell of meat cooking over smoking wood made Milliardo's mouth water. "Let's grab some bratwurst," he suggested. "They have the best you will ever eat."

"I'm getting hungry too," the professor agreed. "And the lines will probably only get longer."

Milliardo had already tied Cabal to a nearby lamppost. "Sit." He petted the dog's head as he turned toward Alexander. "Will you stay with him?"

The two men split up; one of them standing in line for the BBQ, the other lining up to get some drinks.

Five minutes or so passed, which Cabal spent wagging his tail at people passing by. Then a group of young men approached. The three of them had apparently dipped a little too deep into the homemade wine samples. They were laughing and sharing a giant stick of blue cotton candy between them. One of them noticed Cabal.

"Hey puppy puppy," he coaxed and held out his hand. The dog's tail brushed over the sidewalk as he happily licked that sweet sticky hand.

One of the other youths, the one holding the cotton candy, grinned as he ripped off a large piece of the fluffy concoction.

His friend seemed to realize that he was up to no good. "Wait Mueller," he warned. "Maybe you shouldn't. You do know this is Professor Khushrenada's dog, right?"

"What's he going to do; make me flunk history?"

Mueller stuck the cotton candy on the top of Cabal's muzzle where he had a hard time reaching it with his tongue, and laughed when the dog started to shake his head to get the sticky mess off.

Moments later the laughter died in his throat when something suddenly pulled the stick from his hand and the fluffy candy landed in the middle of his face.

His friends who hadn't really seen what happened, only the result, burst out in laughter, several people in the crowd joining in. Flushing bright red the humiliated bully turned on his heels and fled the scene.

When Treize and Milliardo returned a few minutes later Cabal was still licking the last pieces of stickiness from his nose.

"Don't give him candy, Alexander" the professor admonished with a sigh. "It's going to make him sick."

###

Sally Po put down her iced tea and dabbed her mouth with napkin while their waiter took away the empty dishes. They had finished the main course and were now waiting for dessert, Crème Brule with white chocolate and raspberry sauce.

"Now that I have satisfied my appetite," she remarked. "Maybe you could do the same for my curiosity. Whose DNA am I testing anyway?"

Heero blinked, somewhat surprised. "J's of course. Didn't I mention that?"

"Not as far as I know." She shook her head.

"Sorry, I thought I did."

"Hmm... I just thought of something. Remember when I told you your father spoke at my school at a job-fair?"

"I do," he confirmed. "Why?"

"He mentioned that he was working on the Pegasus project."

"Pegasus project?" Heero echoed.

"A space project between NASA and some scientists."

"My father working for NASA?"

"Not for NASA," the doctor corrected. "A group of independent scientists working together with them. In any case, after the Challenger catastrophe NASA was first in taking DNA samples of everyone in the space program. So chances are that they have Dr. J's DNA on file."

_Which means we wouldn't have to bother and waste time with a test_, the young man realized. "How can I get access to it?"

"You can't." Sally Po declared. "NASA, like all other military and government agencies, is very cautious - not to say paranoid about anyone peeking into their files. However there might be a way. We were able to get access to their system a few months ago to clear one of their future astronauts who was accused of manslaughter. We'll have to go back to the lab of course, and we will need some help. But I think we might get lucky tonight. Gaston!" She gestured for the lanky man with the thin mustache.

He gave her a forced smile as he approached the table. "How may I help you?"

"Do you serve rice pudding?"

"Most certainly not." The maître'd looked at her as though she had suggested his food was laced with arsenic.

"Oh well," she shrugged. "Crème Brule will have to do. We will take our dessert to go. And make it 3 no 4 servings."

"As you wish."

Heero gave the young woman a questioning look.

"Special Agent Une would most likely deny it, but she has a definite sweet tooth. The Crème Brule will put her in a good mood, even so her favorite is rice pudding from what I have heard, for when we have to ask for her help."

"Bribing a government official?" The young man grinned.

"Well, if you have to put it that way."

###

"Better luck next time," the man in the carnival booth told Treize with a shrug.

The professor had tried three times to win the ring toss game, and he was quite sure that it was set up in a way that made it almost impossible to throw the little ring completely over the prize.

"Let me try." Milliardo nudged his lover from behind and Treize stepped aside, taking hold of the dog leash, to give him access to the booth.

After finishing their bratwursts they had continued their way down the street and finally ended up here at the carnival section.

Milliardo paid and received his rings. But a few games and five dollar later he too decided it was impossible to win.

"Where is Alexander?"

Treize looked around. "He was just here. Cabal? Find Alexander; go!"

The dog pulled him toward a stand across the street ,where he could feel the ghost's presents in the crowd.

Milliardo looked up to read the banner over the booth. 'Gold Fish pong'

"Come on guy this is the worse game ever. Who wants to pay two bucks to win a fish they sell at any pet store for 20 cent."

"Face it Milliardo all the prizes here are hopelessly overpriced," the professor pointed out as he reached for his wallet. "Let him have his fun."

Treize handed the man running the game two dollar bills and received three ping pong balls in return.

"It's easy; sink two of your three balls in the fish bowl of your choice and win the price. Got it?"

"Got it." The professor nodded. It wasn't exactly rocket science. "Which one?" he whispered, and a short moment later one of the bowls wobbled slightly.

The first throw missed by at least a foot and Treize realized that the little balls were so light that they didn't travel very far.

"You want me to try? From what I heard, your hands become shaky with old age." Milliardo teased.

"Old age?" his lover huffed. "Old age?"

The next ball found its target with a splash. A few people cheered and Treize throw his companion a triumphant look. The third ball hit the rim of the fishbowl, bounced back into the air and then...the bowl moved ever so slightly, just far enough to catch the little plastic projectile as it came down again.

"We got a Winner! We got a Winner!" The vendor called out and started to ring a bell as thought Treize had won the Million Dollar Jackpot and not a little goldfish.

Playing along the Professor thanked the cheering crowd with an theatrical bow.

"Cheaters!" Milliardo coughed. "Cheaters."

"Spoilsport." Treize countered with a smile.

"You do realize we will have to buy a fishbowl, right?"

His lover shrugged. "Cabal needs more food anyway. Let's stop at the pet store on the way home."

###

"Dr Po, I thought you had left already for the night." Special Agent Une had entered the lab with her own keycard.

Sally and her guest were sitting in the doctor's office. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee was filling the small room.

"We had to come back," she explained. "I remembered something I had forgotten earlier."

"Security informed me that you needed to speak to me, regarding a case I am working on?"

"Is that what he said? It's about a case **I am** working on. Little communication problem, I suppose." She smiled apologetically. "We were just sitting down for dessert. Would you like to join us?"

"I think I am fine, thank you. If you would just tell me what this is about, and..." She gazed down to where Heero was sitting. "What Mister Yuy is still doing here?"

"Oh dear." Sally had been removing the 4 little cups of Crème Brule from their bag while Une spoke. "It seems the people at the restaurant packed up a double order. Are you sure you don't want to join us?"

"Well?" The other woman eyed the delicious looking dessert cups. "I suppose there is no harm in a bite or two." She took the seat next to Heero who had to fight to keep a straight face, while Dr. Po hid her smirk by turning away to pour the coffee.

While they were eating Sally explained the situation and her plan to her superior. Agent Une didn't ask any questions. There was no need; everything was pretty clear-cut.

"So you need my security code to access the NASA database?" She concluded when the doctor was finished.

"You do have one of the highest clearance levels in the department." Sally pointed out.

"Very well. Get the computer ready and let me know when you need me to type in the code." Une agreed after a brief moment of consideration. By the way..." She added after eying the last untouched dessert. "Is anyone going to finish this?"

"I couldn't eat another bite, " Sally told her, already on the way to her computer.

"Oh no, not me. I don't usually eat much dessert." Heero Yuy added.

"It would be a shame to waste it, though."

"Absolutely!" The two conspirators agreed.

###

"I knew it would fit perfectly." Treize declared after putting the brand new fishbowl down on the little side table between the two leather couches that stood arranged in an L shape." He took a step back and gave it a second look, then nodded in satisfaction.

They had decided on an orb with a wooden stand that matched the furniture in the entertainment room.

"It does look nice." Milliardo agreed. "And Goldie will get some nice afternoon sun."

"Goldie?" his lover echoed.

"Well, he will need a name and considering that he is a goldfish..."

"Not exactly an original, is it? Besides, shouldn't it be up to Alexander to give him one. Considering it is his fish."

"Fine. What do you think, Alexander?" Milliardo asked.

It appeared that their ghostly houseguest had already given the issue some thought. Because the young man had barely time to finish his question before Alexander came swooshing into the room: and with him a book which landed on the coffee table with a thud.

Treize raised one eyebrow in a mixture of surprise and amusement as his eyes caught the title on the spine. "Mobi Dick?"

Milliardo laughed quietly. "Alright, I admit it's not original either, but a lot better than Goldie."

###

"I found it."

It had taken the doctor a good thirty minutes to make her way through the database and finally J's file. Agent Une had left the lab after giving her access, and finishing up the Crème Brule; but not without instructing the doctor to keep her informed.

Heero nearly jumped from his chair.

"What does it say?"

"Hold on, hold on I still have to do the comparison." She stopped him. "But that shouldn't take too long."

The young man sighed inwardly as he plopped back into the chair. Long and short, he had learned, were relative terms with a very wide margin of interpretation. "How long?"

"Fifteen, twenty minutes," she shrugged.

That didn't sound too bad. But even fifteen minutes could turn into a small lifetime when one was waiting for something to happen. Especially late in the evening, after a good meal when sleepiness was creeping up.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

Heero's eyes flew open. He didn't even realize he had nodded off. "Is it done?"

"See for yourself."

Blinking away the last traces of sleepiness as he rose to his feet, the young man followed the doctor to her computer.

Even for someone with an untrained eye like his the similarities between the two DNA sequences on the screen was apparent.

"What does this mean?" he asked, although he was pretty sure he knew the answer already.

"It means that you and J are most definitely related."

"So J really was my Father?"

* * *

TBC

Author's Note: If it seems or sounds like there is something missing here or there, please remember to read both 'The Well' and "the Junkyard'. Since they are crossover-stories, events that happen in one fic might be mentioned or influence the storyline of the other.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 14**

"Your grandfather?"

The expression on his friend's faces changed from curiosity to complete astonishment in an instant. It was the same look he had seen on Duo's face when he had revealed the news to him after coming home from the FBI lab the night before. Now the two young men were sitting in the living room of Treize and Milliardo's house, across from their hosts.

Heero nodded. "According to Dr. Po there is a 25% DNA match between J and me. Which, as she explained to me, means that he has to be either my grandfather or my uncle. However I happen to know that J didn't have any siblings..."

There was a moment of silence as the professor and his lover digested that information.

"Well, that should make you feel a lot better." Treize finally said. "At least you know for sure that you truly are his heir, and that J didn't have you kidnapped or something as you had feared."

"See," the young man started down at his hands as he admitted quietly. "I am still not totally convinced about it."

"About the test results?"Milliardo asked.

Heero shook his head. "No, I am sure those are accurate."

"Then what?"

The young man hesitated. It was obvious that he had a hard time finding the right words. In the end it was Duo who spoke up and explained.

"Heero still thinks that his adoption wasn't completely legal. Maybe even that he paid that private detective to abduct him from his parents."

"Oh come on, there have to be other...better reasons," Treize replied. "Maybe your parents just weren't able to take care of you and they decided that it was best for you to live with your grandfather. It's not really such an uncommon occurrence. I think I read somewhere that about 7% of all children are raised by their grandparents," he pointed out.

"Yes, but do those grandparents go as far as to adopt them? Do they keep it a secret that they are the grandparents?" Heero asked. "See that's what confuses me so much. I never even knew that J had children of his own. He never told me about it, or anyone else I know of. Why all this secrecy? And why did he adopt me and made me his beneficiary but never bothered to give me his own name?"

The professor had to admit that he couldn't answer these questions either." But be was quite sure that there was a reason for Heero coming to them.

"If there is anything we can do to help..." he offered.

"Thanks. In fact there might be something you can do, or more precise Alexander."

"Alexander?" Treize echoed somewhat surprised. "Ah yes, we've heard you two finally 'met'".

"And what a meeting it must have been," Milliardo chuckled. "I hope he at least apologized."

"Apologized?" His lover raised an eyebrow. "Alexander was just being himself. We both know he is always a bit mischievous."

"There is mischievous and then there is childish." Milliardo pointed out. "And throwing someone's keys into the toilet is the most childish thing I have ever heard of."

"Oh yeah? More childish than throwing the TV remote out of the bedroom window, you mean?" The ghost of a smirk curved the professor's lips.

His lover snorted. "You are lucky it was only the remote and not the TV itself. You were paying more attention to the darn thing than to me."

"I was trying to watch the news."

"In the bedroom the only thing you should be watching is me."

"Dear," Treize replied gently. "Perhaps this is an conversation best continued later." He turned toward Heero with an apologetic smile. "What was it you were saying about us... or Alexander being able to help?"

"Is he..." The young man looked around. "...um is he here?"

"Alexander? No." Treize shook his head. "But..."

The words had barely left his mouth when he suddenly felt the ghostly presence. Apparently Alexander had been loitering around outside the room, but not out of earshot_. I suppose Milliardo has a point of him acting a little childish for his age. _

The professor smiled softly. "I stand corrected. He just joined us. You were saying?"

"Quatre mentioned that maybe Alexander would be able to communicate with the spirit of Odin Lowe, the private detective who died in the car crash. There has to be a reason why J hired him and I am sure he knows more about this whole deal than anyone else who is still alive."

"How exactly would this 'communication' work?" Milliardo wanted to know. "Like a séance or something?"

"Hmm I don't know much about that kind of stuff," Heero admitted. "But I thought we could just take Alexander out to the junkyard where the old car is..."

"No offense, but I don't think I like that idea."

"Dear," Treize suddenly rose to his feet and put his hand on his lover's shoulder with a smile. "Why don't we take a little break and offer our guests some coffee. Would you help me in the kitchen please?" And with a nod in Duo and Heero's direction. "If you'd excuse us for a moment."

The professor made sure to close the kitchen door behind them, then cleared his throat. "Alexander, if you don't mind this is supposed to be a private conversation. Thank you."

"What are you doing?" Milliardo frowned at the older man.

"What was going to be my question for you. They came here to ask Alexander for help. Don't you think it should be up to him to decide if we wants to offer his assistance or not."

"But I am worried, alright. Taking Alexander down to the park, to the mall or a street fair is one thing. But I don't think its a good idea for him to meet some other ghost; who we don't know from a hole in the wall, if I may point out. And not only that, but meet him in the guys own territory."

"Do ghost have territories?"

"How should I know." Milliardo huffed in a mixture of frustration and anger. "But that's exactly my point. We don't know anything. We have no idea how dangerous it might be."

"Alright, I am worried too," the professor admitted. "But I don't think it is our decision to make."

"How about if we tell him as long as he lives under our roof we make the rules."

"If I remember correctly that speech didn't work when your father tried it on you." Treize gave a low bubbling laugh, earning himself a wry grin.

"Point taken."

"Besides, give Alexander a little credit, will you. I am sure he knows how to take care of himself if push comes to shove. After all, he wasn't born yesterday."

"No pun intended, I assume." Milliardo grinned. "Alright, I got your point."

"Great, then help me with the coffee, will you?"

###

The black Mercedes was standing in the neighboring driveway when Heero pulled up in front of his own house. On the way home he had dropped off Duo at his job. As far as he knew Wufei was working as well, today. In other words he was coming home to an empty house. Strangely that thought had never bothered him before, during the two and a half years after J's dead when he had lived here on his own. Lately however he had started to notice how quiet it was without his friends around.

Following a sudden inspiration he locked his jeep and walked the thirty or so steps next door. He knocked instead of using the doorbell, and a brief moment later a young woman opened. Heero recognized her as Trowa's sister. Her name was Leia if he remembered correctly.

"I'm looking for Quatre and Trowa, are they home?

"Oh, you live next door, don't you? Heero, right?"

"That would be me." He nodded.

"They are upstairs in Quatre's room I believe. You know the way?"

"I do, thanks." He slipped off his shoes and left them by the entrance.

The door to Quatre's room stood open; he could hear his friends talk as he walked upstairs.

"...but they said all records up to 1960 have been scanned into the new system."

"Maybe not all. I mean files can get lost, right?" Trowa pointed out.

"Old files, maybe. But I can't even you. Like you aren't even enrolled in this school."

Heero cleared his throat. "Hey guys."

"Oh, hi Heero." Quatre turned toward him. He was sitting at his desk at his computer, with Trowa watching from the bed.

"What's up?"

"Leia let me in. Looks like you guys are busy. Maybe I should come back later."

"Na, just looking something up," Quatre assured him. "Come in. You are alone?"

"Yeah, Duo has to work. We went to talk to Milliardo and Treize earlier today."

"Really? How did it go? Have a seat somewhere."

The young man looked around, there were three chairs in the room but each of them was littered with books, clothes and various other items.

"Sorry." The blond grinned sheepishly as he jumped up to make some room by shifting one pile of clutter from one chair to the other.

"You have to forgive Quatre. He has yet to discover the functionality of a dresser." Trowa explained dryly.

"Maybe he and Duo should move in together, they could live completely without them." Heero replied as he moved turned the now empty chair around and settled down. "Anyway, the talk went pretty well, I think. Alexander agreed to help."

"That's great." Quatre exclaimed. "I knew he would."

"Yes, but we decided that it will be best to first figure out what exactly we are going to do and how we will be doing it. Milliardo pointed out that Alexander is usually very selective about who me makes himself known too. In general he doesn't like strangers and stays out of their way. If Lowe's ghost is anything like that he might never even reveal himself if we all of a sudden just show up at that junkyard."

"Good point," his friends agreed.

"I'll think of something. So, what is it you guys are doing?" Curiously he glanced over Quatre's shoulder at screen.

"I'm just looking through some school records. But somehow I have the feeling I can only access a fraction of them. There seem to be a lot of students missing," his friend replied.

"Of course they are. Remember when you filled out your registrations, the little check box on the bottom of the last page. Just above your signature. By checking it you requested that no part of your personal info would be made public; not even your name."

"Ah yeah," Trowa nodded. "I do remember checking that box. That would explain why you can't find me either."

"Hmm so there is no way to take a look at those protected records then?" the blonde mused.

"Well," Heero made a nonchalant gesture. "There is **always** a way. Let me have the computer for a moment, would you?"

Quatre rose and stepped aside, allowing his friend to slip into the leather chair he just vacated. The young man worked on the keyboard for no more than a few minutes then looked back over his shoulder.

"There you go. That should do it."

"What did you just do?" Trowa wanted to know, his voice laced with wariness.

"I got you into the school's main database. you should find now whoever you are looking for."

"Got us in as in 'hacked in?" The bodyguard asked.

His friend shrugged. "If you have to put it that way."

Quatre frowned slightly. "Is it just me or did you get in a little fast for someone doing this the first time?"

"I didn't say it was the first time, did I?" Heero replied calmly, then at his friends' suspicious looks he raised his hand. "It's not what you think, alright. I just wanted to see if I could get in. I didn't do it to change my test scores or anything, if that's what you are wondering."

"But you could do that?"

"Quatre!" Trowa admonished sharply, and the blonde gave him a wry grin and a shrug.

"What? Just asking."

As he settled back down on his desk Quatre gazed briefly at Heero. "You really know a lot about computers, don't you? I bet you were one of those baby geniuses that figured out the use of a keyboard before you were tall enough to pee in the toilet."

His friend laughed. "Hardly. I was off to a rather rocky start actually."

"Really?" That seemed to surprise even Trowa.

"I think partially due to the fact that I rather tried to figure out what made things work than work with them. I took apart whatever I could get my hands on and sometimes it backfired. I had my first laptop for no more than 24 hours I believe. When I was little J would sometimes take me to the lab with him when he had to work late, and I played games on his computer to pass the time. But I occasionally managed to delete things I shouldn't have so J always had to hide all important files and..." _Hide the important files? That's right. It's what he has always been doing._

Trowa and Quatre exchanged a puzzled look as their friend suddenly trailed off win the middle of the sentence and stared into the distance.

"Heero? Are you alright?"

"What?" His head snapped up. "Ah, yes I'm fine. But I just thought of something. I got to go... Talk to you guys later?"

Followed by the bewildered looks on his friend's faces Heero stormed out of the room without another word of explanation.

##

The house was dark and still empty when he dashed through the front door, barely taking time to lock it behind himself. He didn't bother taking his shoes off either, but instead run upstairs and into what used to be J's lab. He pushed the power button on the computer as he slipped into the desk chair, and waited for the machine to come to life. For some reason it never seemed to have taken this long before. His fingertip drummed the desk surface impatiently, but finally the boot process was finished.

Heero opened the control panel and changed the folder settings to show hidden files and folders. When it was done he searched the hard drive again. But there was nothing. Heero's shoulder's dropped with a sigh. He had been so sure about this. Frustrated he pulled open the drawer in J's desk and started to rummage through the papers inside it. Beneath a couple of notepads he felt something stiffer and inflexible. Digging deeper he uncovered a small floppy disk; one of those little 3.5 plastic floppies that came first only in black and later also in a number of different colors. He picked the little disk up with a frown. Nobody was using floppies anymore. This one wasn't even double density. So why hang on to it? Unlike old and unusable CDs they didn't make good coasters either. But maybe there was a reason, other than J's tendency to hang on to old things, that he had kept it in his desk.

The computer didn't even have a floppy drive anymore. But Heero knew there were a couple in his box of computer parts. _I guess I like to hang on to old things too. Must be a gene passed down from my grandfather, so sue me._ He snorted as he went back to his room and pulled the box out from under his bed. It took him no time at all to find a functioning drive, and only slightly longer to install it. He rebooted again and put in the disk when it was done.

_Bingo! _There was a single folder with his name on the floppy. But when he tried to open it a password box popped up. Heero frowned slightly. _Looks like I'm on the right path. He wouldn't have protected it if there was nothing worth protecting in it, right?_

He tried several of J's usual passwords but neither of them seemed to work. His frown deepened as the young man stared at the screen as so he was trying to will it to give up its secret. Then, following a sudden hunch, his fingers flew over the keyboard again as he typed 'Joyce' - the name he remembered seeing on some of the boxes in the storage unit.

He hesitated again before clicking on the oldest of the jpg files. As the picture opened his jaw nearly dropped. He had seen this photograph before; not in reality but in his mind. It was the picture of a young woman holding a baby; the picture of him and his mother he had assumed.

_I was right, I knew it. She was beautiful and still so young. And she looks happy, very happy; just like I remembered it._ But was it really a memory, he wondered, or something Lowe had put into my mind. _I really don't know. So many things I don't know. But there is something I am certain of. She was my mother and there is no way she would have given me away; not even to her father. So, what happened?_

He studied the photo for a while longer, smiling softly.

When he opened the other jpg files he realized they must have been taken all around the same time. The pictures were grainy and low quality, not surprising how old they were. photo scanning and processing was still in its infancy and digital photography only a twinkle in the eyes of its inventors. The fact that the photos had been taken from a distance, presumably with a zoom lens, didn't help either. Yet he was able to make out the people in the pictures. There was always the young woman he assumed to be his mother... Joyce? And the toddler at her side had to be him. One picture showed them in the park with a man. He was tall; dark haired and slender. He was pushing the little boy in the picture on a swing set. Unfortunately the photographer had only captured his profile.

_Could it be that he is my father?_

The other two pictures were taken in the front yard of a house where the little boy and the woman were playing together.

Who took those pictures; Odin Lowe, the PI? Did this proof that J had hired him to keep taps on his daughter? Perhaps. Did it also proof that J might have had him kidnapped? But wouldn't his parents have tried to find him; contacted the police and have reported him missing? What happened?

Heero continued to stare at the pictures he had lined up on the screen as though he was hoping to find the answer somewhere within them.

* * *

TBC

Author's Note: If it seems or sounds like there is something missing here or there, please remember to read both 'The Well' and "the Junkyard'. Since they are crossover-stories, events that happen in one fic might be mentioned or influence the storyline of the other.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

**Wraith: **Thanks. I am always looking forward to your reviews too. It is rare these days to get feedback that actually gives some inside what the readers like (and what not) about a story. I think most readers don't realize that this kind of input helps with the writing.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 15**

_"You can slow down now, Hiroshi. I think he is a sleep."_

_The woman's voice came from somewhere in front of him, but he couldn't see her. Some kind of seat was blocking his view. Then he noticed that the ground beneath him was moving; no it was him who was moving. He was sitting in a moving car, he realized._

_"Maybe he is going to grow up to be a racecar driver?" A second person, this time a man, replied. _

_"For his sake I hope not." The woman's voice was laced with humor. _

_"Too dangerous you think?"_

_"Well that too. But look at him, he falls asleep the moment the speedometer hits 85."_

_They both laughed, it was a warm and wonderful sound. _

_"I think he got that from me. As a child when mother wanted me to sleep she always put me in the car and drove around the block." she said. "But it could be worse. He could have gotten my nose instead."_

_"What would be wrong with that? It's an very cute nose I think." the male voice teased. "I happen to love that nose, along with every other part of yours."_

_No!_ Heero struggled against the gradual sense of awareness that came with slowly waking up. But his dream faded, leaving him with a strange feeling of loss, and his senses returned. The bed felt soft beneath his body, the room was dark when he opened his eyes. He interlaced his fingers behind his head and stared at the ceiling.

_What was that; another memory or just a normal dream brought on by those pictures he had found earlier? _

Later he had tried to open those text files that were also on the disk only to realize that he couldn't. Either the files were encrypted or they had been damaged one way or another. All he could get was a few lines of garbled letters and symbols. After that he had decided to lie down for a bit to think things over, but apparently he had fallen asleep instead.

From downstairs he could hear noises, someone was moving around. The alarm clock on the nightstand read 1:26. _That's right, Duo mentioned that he was going to be late. One of his coworkers was having a birthday party. That's why he didn't take his car. He just have taken a taxi home. _

Sitting finally up, the young man swung his feet over the edge of the bed and yawned. A few minutes later he walked downstairs to find his friend in the kitchen drinking milk straight from the carton.

"I hope you are planning on drinking it all?"

"Geez," Duo nearly jumped. "Don't scare people like that. I swear one day you will give me a heart attack."

"Sorry."

"Don't tell me you have been waiting up for me? And yes I was going to finish the milk."

"I was asleep already. Just woke up. I'm going to the storage unit, need to check something out."

"Do you know what time it is?" Duo frowned at his lover from over the milk carton.

"It's a 24-7 self storage." Heero pointed out.

"That's not exactly the point. It's the middle of the night, which people usual spend in bed, you know."

"Like I said I already slept and I don't think I could go back to sleep right now."

"Fine." Duo threw the empty carton into the trashcan with an overhand shot. "Let me go to the loo very quick and then I'm ready."

"Ready for what?"

"To go with you, of course. You can tell me on the way there what's going on. That way we can both be sure you won't nod off behind the wheel."

_##_

Aside from the security guard at the main gate there wasn't a soul at the storage facility when they arrived a good hour later.

Heero had told his friend about the disk and the files he had found on it, even about his strange dream thereafter, and Duo had listened quietly... for the most part.

"So you think Joyce is J's daughter, your mother?"

"You don't?"

"Actually I think it makes sense. He kept her things just as he kept yours. Maybe not only for himself but for you as well. So what is it you are looking for?"

"It is not so much 'something' I'm looking for." Heero admitted. "But rather I am hoping whatever is packed up in those boxes can tell me a little about her." He looked at the other youth. "Do you think I am crazy?"

"Absolutely bonkers." Duo replied as serious as could be. "But I knew that already when you started to hang out with someone like me."

"Oh yeah?" Heero snorted. "Then what about Wufei?"

"Bonkers too I am afraid. And Trowa and Quatre are not far behind. Milliardo and the professor too. Face it, we are all just a bunch of lunatics."

###

"Mister Yuy?" The surprise in his lawyer's voice was mirrored in his eyes when he walked into anteroom to his office to find Heero Yuy sitting across the secretary's desk. "What a...unexpected surprise."

"Mister Gray." The young man greeted him with a nod as he rose to his feet.

"I tried to tell him that you are having a busy day today," the secretary looked at him apologetic. "And that I would be happy to set up an appointment but Mister Yuy insisted on waiting."

"That's quite alright, Miss Wang. Could you please make us some coffee?"

"Of course; right away Mister Gray."

He unlocked the door to his office and gestured for his guest to enter.

"What can I do for you, Mister Yuy?"

"I think we need to talk."

"Talk about what?" Gray closed the door behind them, slipped off his light coat and hung it up on the rack in the corner.

"About Joyce."

The attorney sighed as he crossed his office, but he didn't seem too surprised about the request. It was like he had been expecting it for a long time.

He pressed the intercom button on his phone. "Miss Wang, please reschedule my appointments for this morning. I'll be otherwise engaged for the next few hours." With an inviting gesture he pointed at one of the chairs across from his desk.

"Please have a seat. In spite of what you might believe, J did not tell me a whole lot about your adoption and anything connected with it. But I do agree, we should talk."

"But you knew that Joyce was my mother?" It was a statement really more than a question, and it sounded a lot like an accusation. Heero's eyes didn't leave the layer's face as he settled down in his chair.

"Yes, that much I knew," Gray confirmed with a nod.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"J swore me to secrecy, Mister Yuy. "

"And you never questioned that?"

"J was, as you might know yourself, an eccentric man. Odd requests were not that unusual coming from him. But he was also my friend and I trusted him enough to not question him."

"Alright, let's assume that's all true... Tell me about Joyce."

The lawyer spread his hands. "What do you want me to tell you?"

"Everything." Heero leaned back in his chair, looking at the older man expectantly. "He never even mentioned to me that he had a daughter."

"Very well. As you know J was married for a few years. Joyce was born during that time. She hadn't even started school yet when her mother died. J threw himself into his work. I think it was his way of dealing with his wife's death, but it was Joyce who suffered because of it. No, I am not saying he neglected her or even abused her. He hired a live-in nanny, a woman with the highest qualification. She took care of the little girl 24/7. But for Joyce it must have felt like she not only lost her mother but her father as well."

"J was never father of the year material," Heero admitted. "But I usually could tell that he was doing his best." The young man wasn't sure why he felt the need to defend his grandfather.

"Oh I am sure by the time you came around he had learned a thing or two about parenting." The lawyer replied. "And he was trying not to make the same mistakes twice. But..."

A knock at the door interrupted the conversation.

"Your coffee, Mister Gray."

"Thank you, Miss Wang." He got up to open the door for her, and the petite looking woman balanced a tray with two cups into the office. She set it down, and put the cups along with a carton of creamer and a bowl filled with little sugar packages on the desk.

"Is there anything else?"

"Not at the moment, thank you." Gray closed the door behind her and went back to his seat. "Help yourself, Mister Yuy." He gestured toward the steaming coffee.

"Thank you." Heero picked up one of the cups and poured himself a bit of cream.

"So, where were we?" The lawyer asked as he added not only cream but also not only one but two packets of sugar to his own coffee.

"You were telling me about the less than ideal relationship between my grandfather and my mother."

"Ah right." Gray took a cautious sip from his sugary concoction, and added another generous splash of cream. By now, Heero was convinced, there couldn't have possibly been any last trace of coffee taste left.

"By the time Joyce was in her teens she started to rebel and hang with the wrong crowd of mostly older kids. I recall at least a dozen or so times when I was called upon in the middle of the night to bail her out of jail after she had been arrested for possession or joy riding in a stolen car."

Heero's jaws tightened. The picture of his mother he had painted in his head was slowly beginning to crumble. But he didn't say anything; letting the other man continue in his account.

"I believe Joyce might have been 16 when after another argument, J threw her out of the house. She packed up a few things and left. When she didn't return the next day and the day after that he wasn't too concerned and assumed that she was staying over at a friend's house like she had done in the past. He expected her to return once she had cooled off. But...

"... she didn't return." Heero concluded.

The lawyer shook his head. "J reported her missing a week later. But to the honest, a runaway teen who had been in more than her fair of trouble in the past wasn't of highest priority for the police."

"So J hired a PI?"

"Not right away. There was too little to go on. He didn't see her or hear from her for a good two years. Then one day he received a letter, or more precise a picture of her with a baby in her arms. On the back was a brief note telling him that she was alright and that he was a grandfather now. J didn't even talk to me about it until much later. He said he figured that now that she had contacted him once she would do it again. But it didn't happen and he finally came to me for advice. I was the one who suggested hiring a private investigator. From the postmark on the envelope we knew it had been sent from Portland Oregon, and maybe the picture could give a few clues. I told J that I knew a detective on the west coast, I had used his services in the past in a few divorce cases."

"Odin Lowe?" Heero asked.

Gray looked at his guest surprised. "Who is that?"

"The PI you referred to J."

The attorney shook his head. "First time I hear that name. The detective I worked with was named Brooks, Stanley Brooks I believe, a retired police officer. But J decided not to take me up on my offer. He told me he would take care of it himself. And that's pretty much it."

Heero's brows knitted into a frown. "That's it? You are telling me you never followed up, asked him if he had found Joyce? I thought you said you were friends."

"Actually I did. But he kept brushing me off. And since nothing ever happened I figured that it didn't pan out and hadn't been able to find her. I didn't see any reason to bring it up again."

"So how do I fit into the story? How did he end up adopting me? You must have helped him with the process and paperwork," the young man wanted to know.

"Actually I didn't."

"You didn't?" That revelation surprised Heero. But he had no reason not to believe Gray.

"No, in fact it came as quite a surprise to me when he introduced me to you after he had finished all the formalities. I asked him to let me look over everything just to make sure there weren't any... surprises in the future, but he told me that wasn't necessary and everything had been taken care of." The lawyer stopped to take another sip from his coffee based syrup and stared down at his desk. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little... um..."

"Ticked off?" Heero helped out.

"Well, that's not exactly the word I was looking for but I suppose it fits," Gray admitted. "J had been my client from the day I opened my law firm, and my friend fir even longer. And for him to use a different lawyer felt a bit like betrayal to me. But then I started to realize that he probably did it to protect me."

"To protect you?" The young man echoed. "So you did suspect that this adoption wasn't completely legal?"

Gray sighed. "Mister Yuy, adoption laws are very complex and very complicated, and they differ greatly from country to country. This creates a grey area with various loopholes that can be exploded. Is it the right thing to do? ...legally yes, morally not always."

Heero nodded understandingly. It made sense.

"In any case," his lawyer continued. "I had not seen J in a while so I figured he had traveled to Asia himself, where the laws are not quite as strict, especially for someone with the right connections and the right amount of money in his pocket, and picked you up in some orphanage personally."

"But..." Confusion was clearly written across the young man's face."You said you knew that Joyce was my mother."

"Not at that time I didn't," the lawyer clarified. "J didn't tell me about that until years later. It must have been in 96 or 97 when he came to see me one morning..."

::: Begin Flashback :::

_"So that's your new office, Don?" _

_Donald, Don, Gray looked up from the papers he was reading through. _

_In the door stood a tall and skinny man with messy hair that had gone gray long before its time and thick, wire rimmed glasses. His ill-fitting suit looked like he has slept in it, which he probably had. From looking at him nobody would have guessed that he was not only a world renown scientist but also one of the richest men in the country._

_A friendly smile crossed the attorney's face. "J! What brings you out so early in the morning?"_

_Ignoring the other man's question J studied the room thoroughly. "Corner office, big windows, great view... not bad, not bad at all. That explains why you have to charge those ridiculously high consulting fees." The mixture of sarcasm and humor in his voice was hard to miss. _

_"You must not have had your third cup of coffee this morning to be in such a grumpy mood. Should I have my secretary make us some?"_

_"You have a secretary too?"_

_"You must have seen her every time you waltz right passed her into my office. Your eyesight can't be that bad. " Gray shot back. "And yes, I have had a secretary for the past 5 years. Unlike some of us I do have a certain image to project. But now sit down and tell me what brings you here today?"_

_J chuckled quietly as he followed his friend's invitation._

_The two of them had always been an unlikely pair ever since they met in college; the geek and mister popular. But their differences had never dampened their friendship. Donald had been J's best man at his wedding. And when he decided to leave the big law firm he was working for and start one on his own about two decades ago, J had been his very first - and for a while only- client. They both had come a long way since their college days. _

_"I was in the neighborhood; had to drop Heero off at school." _

_"Oh that's right, he is in junior high now, isn't he? Well, look on the bright side in a few years he will be able to drive himself."_

_"That's what worries me. He already picked the car he wants when he turns 16."_

_"Let me guess, one of those sports utility vehicles the kids like these days."_

_"I wouldn't mind that. At least they are big and solid. What he wants is a sports cars, but we will cross that bridge when we get there. __**This**__ is why I came." J pulled a large yellow envelope from the black attaché case he was carrying and pushed it over the large mahogany desk toward the lawyer. "Take a look and tell me what you think."_

_Gray opened the envelope curiously and removed two handwritten pieces of paper. One of his eyebrows jumped up. "I will be damned. You finally took my advice and drafted a will. How long have I been telling you to do this, 5 years, 6? If I had known that all it took was for me to stop bothering you about it..."_

_"Alright already. Go ahead and read it," J grumbled. _

_And so he did. It was a no nonsense clear cut declaration. Aside from a few donations to some scientific and medical research programs all of J's belongings would go to Heero." Donald Gray frowned slightly as he looked up. _

_"What?" J asked. "Too many spelling mistakes? Isn't had what I pay you for?"_

_"Seriously J, don't you think you should at least make a small provision for Joyce? If not for her than for your grandson's sake."_

_"My grandson, huh? It's all for his sake, Don." J sighed. And then at his friends puzzled expression he added. "I suppose it is time that I tell you. Heero IS my grandson."_

_"What?"_

_"Joyce is dead, Don. A car accident somewhere at the Nevada border. At least that's what the policeman who brought me the news told me. That's why I had to adopt the boy: it was the only way to go."_

_"But..." The attorney shook his head as he was trying to process what he just had learned. "Does he know?"_

_"All he needs to know that I am his father; that we are family. He doesn't remember much from before he came to live with me."_

_"But eventually he will start asking questions, if he hasn't already."_

_"I'll think of something."_

_"You can't lie to him his whole life. He has a right to know."_

_"Don," J's voice took on a warning undertone. "As my lawyer you are bound by attorney client..."_

_"But I am not only your lawyer, J," Gray interrupted. "I am also your friend."_

_"I didn't come here to see my friend this morning, I came to visit my attorney," J replied. "Anything talked about in this room today will never leave these four walls."_

_"Very well, but I don't understand why?"_

_"I don't want to lose him that's why."_

_"Loose him, what are you talking about?"_

_"Let's face it, Don messed up - big time with Joyce. The boy is like a second chance for me to make things right. But only as long as he doesn't hate me for what I did to his mother. If he would find out that she ran away because I threw her out of the house that night he might run off as well. That's a chance I am not willing to take. And that's why you can never tell him."_

::: End Flashback :::

* * *

TBC

Author's Note: This will be the last chapter posted for a little while, not because I am not working on the story but because I am finishing it up before posting the rest. There are only about 4 chapters left and I need to make sure all the loose ends are tied up neatly and I don't miss anything.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 16**

"I could have never hated him. Not after everything he has done for me."

With the window shutters closed it was so dark in the room that Heero couldn't even see the young man lying next to him, but he could feel the warm body against his own. He had told his friend and lover everything he had learned during his visit with his attorney that day. Surprisingly, for someone who most of the time didn't know when and how to shut up, Duo was a very good listener. That was something Heero really had come to appreciate.

"And I can't understand how J would think that I would blame him even for my mother's death."

"Maybe because he blamed himself all this time he couldn't understand that others didn't blame him." In the dark he could feel Duo stir. A hand touched his shoulder, soft and comforting. "I'm sorry, Heero, about your mother... I know you had always hoped that you might find her and meet her someday..."

"Thanks, but actually," Heero admitted as he rolled onto his side to face the other youth. "I kind of knew already. Once I had found those pictures and started having dreams I knew there was no way she would have just given me away. If she could she would have been looking for me. Besides, you have always warned me, remember... about the consequences of letting the genie out of the bottle. But I wanted... No needed to know. Thanks Duo, for listening. And thanks also for letting me sleep here tonight."

"You are quite welcome. You are a pillow hog, you know. But in return you make such a great pillow yourself that I can't complain."

"Thanks... I guess." The young man laughed quietly.

Duo moved closer and, as though to emphasize his words, settled down with his head on his lover's chest. Heero's arm snaked around his waist embracing him loosely. There was a long moment of silence and Heero almost thought the other youth had fallen asleep when Duo suddenly asked.

"Do you feel better now? ... knowing who you mother was and that J didn't have you kidnapped, I mean?"

"Better yes," he admitted. "But not completely satisfied yet. There are still a few big questions unanswered."

"Like?"

"Who was my father and what happened to him?"

"Hmm... Your lawyer couldn't tell you anything about him?" Duo wanted to know.

"I asked but he said he didn't even know there was a father. "

"Wow, at his age you would think **somebody** would have had the talk about the birds and the bees with him."

Heero snorted. "I meant of course he knew that I had a father but he assumed that he just wasn't in the picture."

"But you think he was?"

"Quite literally," he confirmed. "I believe that he was in one of the photos I found on that floppy disk, and that his name might have been Hiroshi."

###

"So, what makes you so sure that this Odin Lowe fellow took the pictures your fa... umm, J kept on that floppy disk?" Professor Khushrenada was the one who asked the question, but from the looks on their faces Heero could tell everyone else was wondering the same. Everyone, that included the professor and Wufei as well as Trowa, Quatre and Duo. The small group was huddling around a table in the farthest corner of the cafeteria, listening to Heero's story.

"It just makes sense," the young man shrugged. "J hired a private detective to find his daughter. Odin Lowe was a private detective. The letter from Joyce to her father was sent from the west coast, according to the sheriff that's where Lowe came from as well. And he dies in a car crash only miles from where we used to live, just around the time when J adopted me. So chances are that he is that detective who worked for J. And most of all..." he hesitated.

"Yes?"

"I think... umm..." _Geez, this still sounds crazy if I think about it._ "Lowe put this vision into my mind of the picture of my mother and me as an infant. It couldn't have been a memory, because I am pretty sure J never showed me the photo. He would however, have given a copy to the detective he hired."

"It does make sense," Trowa agreed and Treize Khushrenada nodded.

Quatre's expression turned thoughtful. "You think he was trying to communicate with you?"

"I can't be sure, but it feels like he has been trying to get my attention since the first time I saw that car at the junkyard. Like he has been waiting for me."

"Maybe he has just been waiting for someone... **anyone** who can clear his name." Wufei pointed out.

"That's right." Treize nodded. "He had been suspected to have kidnapped that Makoto boy and he was never cleared of it."

"There are still so many unanswered questions," Heero remarked. "That's why I want to talk to him, preferable this weekend." He looked at Treize. "You think Alexander is still willing to do it?"

"He promised to help you, and he is not the kind of person to go back on a promise."

"Thanks. But what about Milliardo? I had the feeling he was less than thrilled with the idea."

"Don't worry about Milliardo. I think he is just a little anxious about our ghostly housemate starting to spread his wings. But he knows there is nothing he can do about it, and he wouldn't stand in the way," Treize explained, a hint of a smile curving his lips. "However, he mentioned that he would like to accompany you guys to the junkyard."

"So would I," Quatre threw in.

Trowa gave his friend a somewhat surprised look. "Quatre? I thought we'd agreed..."

"I know, I know," the blonde nodded. "But I thought about it. Even if Alexander will be able to communicate with the ghost of the detective, you still would need someone to 'translate', right? And with Alexander there, I am pretty sure it would be safe. Please?"

Trowa sighed, and when the professor gave him a questioning look he raised his shoulders in a defeated shrug.

"You guys are starting to act more and more like a married couple?" Wufei declared dryly as he picked an extra long French fry from his plate.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Quatre's ears turned red even as he glared at his friend.

"One of you makes the decisions..." The Chinese youth leisurely dipped the fry into the ketchup dish. "And the other just says Yes and Amen to everything."

"What's the point in arguing if in the end he has his way anyway." Trowa shrugged.

"Yep!" Treize grinned. "That's exactly what my father used to say. "

"You guys are impossible." Quatre huffed, but the amused tone in his voice was hard to miss. "Now can we get back to what we were talking about?"

"Right," Heero agreed. "So Milliardo wants to come along. And if you come, Quatre, I assume so will Trowa...?"

"Absolutely," the brunette nodded. "There is just one problem. We will have to do it on Friday night."

"Why's that?"

"Quatre and I will be flying to California Saturday morning."

"Oh right." Quatre slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot."

"Friday would be fine, wouldn't it?" Heero gave the professor a questioning look.

"If you are asking me if Alexander might have any prior engagements for Friday night," Treize grinned. "I'm pretty sure his dance card is still empty. I on the other hand have a teachers meeting. But that's alright. Crawling around a junkyard at night isn't my idea of fun anyway."

"I have to work too," Duo threw in. "But I don't mind either. You can tell me about what happened when you get home."

"I am off, and I really would like to come." Wufei reached for another French fry.

"Great, then its settled." Heero nodded. "Friday evening it is."

"Let's meet at our house after dinner." Treize suggested. "How about seven o' clock? That gives you guys time to talk things over while you wait for it to get dark enough."

###

"Are you sure we didn't pass it already?" Quatre whispered as he and the other conspirators followed Heero in search of a hole in the junkyard fence Duo had told them about.

"No, he said it's about 200 feet east from the power pole," his friend replied as he let his flashlight wander over the high chain-link fence. "That would make somewhere around here."

"Whose feet?" Milliardo asked dryly. He was holding Cabal who pulled impatiently at his leash.

The group had arrived in two cars which they had left at the parking lot of a small strip-mall about half a mile away.

"Here it is." Trowa was the one who finally discovered the large tear in the fence, just when everyone was starting to wonder if perhaps the hole had been fixed.

"Great. Let's go." Heero stuck his flashlight into his belt as he used both hands to push the chain links apart.

"You guys wait here." Milliardo handed the leash off to Trowa. "Once Alexander is sure that it is safe I'll call you and you can follow."

The young man nodded. "Good luck."

Between Cabal who seemed to have developed a real sense for the supernatural and Trowa to guard him from the more 'worldly' dangers Quatre was sure that he was as safe as could be.

#

Meanwhile Milliardo was the last to enter the junkyard. He was carrying his great-grandfather's diary in a small messenger bag over his shoulders. Alexander's presence could be felt moving around just ahead of him, somewhere left of Wufei's glowing flashlight.

Since Heero was the only one who knew his way around this place he had become their official guide. But suddenly the young man stopped, looking around in confusion.

"Is everything alright?" Milliardo asked.

"No, it isn't." Heero's voice was laced with a hint of alarm. "The car...the blue Buick it is gone."

"Hold on a moment. It is dark. Things always seem to look different at night than they do in daylight."

"Wufei is right, maybe we just took a wrong turn or something."

But the young man shook his head. "No, I am not mistaken. This is the place where the car stood." He pointed his flashlight onto the spot in question. "You can still make out the tire impressions in the sand, see." Now he sounded almost in panic. "Mike mentioned that he was trying to get rid of the wreck. What if he did? What if it is already destroyed..."

"Relax, Heero. We don't know that." Wufei told him and Milliardo added. "Yeah no reason to assume the worst."

As the blonde turned around he suddenly noticed that Alexander was gone. The ghostly presence had been beside him only a moment ago.

_Oh no, this isn't good. Where in the world did he go? _Milliardo was still considering if he should tell the others when the ghost reappeared as sudden as he had left. The young man sighed in relieve. "Don't do that, Alexander. This is not the place for you to run off on your own."

Without slowing down Alexander rushed past him and toward Heero.

The young man suddenly felt a tug on his flashlight and when he loosened his grip the lamp started floating away. After a few yards however it stopped, moved another yard or two and stopped again.

"I think he wants us to follow him." Wufei suggested, and like in confirmation the flashlight started to move again.

The three young men followed the ghost around several turns and past dozens of broken down cars until they started to wonder if this was nothing but one of Alexander's little tricks. But suddenly the light stopped moving and its beam pointed directly onto a large vehicle.

Heero stopped in his tracks, his heart nearly skipping a beat. "That's it," he exclaimed. "He found Lowe's Buick."

Milliardo was about to ask if he was sure that it was the right car when his cell phone started to ring. He recognized Trowa's number when he pulled the phone from his pocket.

"Everything alright?" Their friend asked. "We were starting to worry out here."

"Ah, sorry. We had some trouble finding the car. But it looks like Alexander was able to track it down."

"So, what's the verdict; is it safe for us to come in?"

"Hold on, let me find out. Alexander..."

##

Trowa waited for Milliardo's answer then nodded. "Okay, we will be right there."

"Alexander thinks it's alright," ,e told Quatre as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Let's go."

"How are we going to find them, this place is huge."

"Milliardo said to follow the dog, he will find them."

"Well then," Quatre petted Cabal's head. "It's up to you."

The dog gave what sounded like a single affirmative bark before jumping through the hole in the fence, nearly pulling Trowa off balance.

"Easy there. Some of us only have two legs to walk on. Keep that in mind."

Cabal gave another short bark and plopped down on his hind legs as he waited for the brunette to clear the fence.

Quatre chuckled as he followed behind. "Sometimes I wonder how much he actually can understand."

"Yeah he does strike me as a little smarter than the average bear." Trowa agreed with a long look at the Borzoi.

"Maybe it's a 'side effect' of having been brought up by a ghost?" The other youth joked.

Milliardo on the other hand had not been kidding when he said that Cabal would find them. The dog didn't hesitate once but headed in a straight beeline to where his masters and their friends were waiting.

"Did we miss anything?" Quatre greeted the small group.

"Not so far." Wufei replied quietly. "Seems like we might have scared him off."

"No," Heero disagreed. "He is here..I think."

Quatre nodded. "Yes, I can feel it too."

Apparently so could Cabal, because the fur in the back of his neck and along the center of his back suddenly started to bristle. He pulled back his upper lip, exposing a impressive set of white canines as a low growl started to rumble in his throat.

"It's alright, everything is alright." Quatre's voice was soft as he raised his hands reassuringly, and for a moment Trowa wasn't sure if he was trying to calm down the dog or the ghost.

"My name is Quatre. We are here because we need your help. And in return we might be able to help you. We know you didn't kidnap that little boy."

The young man paused and waited. Cabal's growl turned softer until it finally died completely, and his hair flattened against his body. Whatever danger he had sensed seemed to have passed. To his left, Alexander seemed calm as well. He made no attempt to stop Quatre when he took a step toward the car, which the young man took as a sign that it was save to do so.

His eyes glued on the Buick the blonde gestured at Heero. "This is Heero Yuy, you might possibly know him under a different name, but you have met him before, haven't you?"

If Quatre had expected some kind of reaction he wasn't not being disappointed. The young man gasped when a suddenly a picture formed in his mind, a image of violence and death from what he could tell. A wreck of metal and glass so mangled that it was difficult to recognize as the car it once had been. He could almost smell the stench of leaking gasoline and blood, and his stomach clenched. But then as sudden as the vision started it ended and he found himself on the deck of what seemed to be a ship in the middle of the ocean. Clean, salty air, a gentle breeze and a sky slowly changing color from bright red to deep blue as he watched the sun disappear at the horizon. He looked down. A large white dog was sitting at his feet.

_Cabal? No Peritas_, he realized. And suddenly he understood what had happened. Sensing his distress Alexander must have stepped in, replacing Lowe's vision of the car accident with a more serene one of his own. _Thank you, Alexander._

"Quatre, are you alright?" the concern in Trowa's voice was mirrored in the faces of his friends.

"I'm fine," the blond assured them. "I just... I wasn't quite prepared for what I saw."

"What was it?" Heero wanted to know. "What did he show you?"

"Not much," Quatre lied. "It was too fast to tell really." He turned back toward the car. "Maybe you can answer some question for us...Mister Lowe. Umm...Did you work for Doctor J? I mean, did he hire you to find his daughter?"

_The young man braced himself, but this time the image forming in his mind's eye was a lot more peaceful. He found himself inside a car, quite possible the same one sitting at the junkyard now, watching a house from a across the street. From the location of the sun and the slight chill in the air he could tell it was early morning. A moment later the front door opened and he, no Odin Lowe reached for the camera on the passenger seat. It was a pretty ancient model by today's standards, but back then it was probably state of the art. As he looked through the viewfinder Quatre watched a tall, dark-haired man leave the house together with a young woman who was holding a toddler in her arms. The woman walked him all the way to the front gate where they kissed good-bye. She and the little boy waved as the man climbed into his car and drove away. She stood a little longer, gazing in his direction at one point, then turned and walked back into the house._

"Quatre?"

The vision faded and he realized that he was smiling. "Guess what I saw?" he asked Heero

"What?"

"You and your parents I think. You were a cute little guy." The young man relayed to the others what the P.I. had showed him.

"So, I was right," exclaimed Heero. "He **did** take those photos after all."

"It appears so." Quatre agreed. "There is one thing that puzzles me, though. The child in my vision was about one and a half or two years old. That would mean your grandfather knew where Joyce lived long before you came to live with him. Yet he never mentioned to his lawyer that he had found her."

"I was wondering about that myself," his friend admitted.

The next vision caught Quatre a bit by surprise, leaving him a little disoriented for a moment.

_The first thing he saw was a pair of feet in front of him, feet that stuck in a pair of dark brown loafers. _

_"...yes, I did get those pictures you sent me," someone said close to his ear. And suddenly he realized that he was sitting in a small office, with his feet propped on top of his desk, talking to somebody on the phone. _

_"So, what do you want me to do now, Dr. J?" he heard himself asking. _

_"Nothing," the man on the other end of the line, J he assumed, answered. His voice was a little higher than he had thought: but somehow it did seem to fit the pictures he had seen of Heero's grandfather. _

_"Nothing?"_

_"Yes, Mister Lowe, your job is done. Knowing that Joyce and my grandson are doing well is all I wanted. You can keep the rest of the money I sent you as a bonus."_

_"That's a lot of money for a handful of photos."_

_J gave a crackling chuckle. "Perhaps it is, but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind."_

_"Whatever you say, Doctor. You got my phone number in case you'll need me again!" _

_"I do, Mister Lowe. Good bye for now."_

_With that the dream ended along with the phone call._

As usually it took Quatre a brief moment of getting himself oriented. Coming out of a vision always left his mind a little jumbled until he managed to completely separate dream and reality.

"I'm alright," he assured his friends with a weary smile. "Give me a moment and I'll tell you what he showed me."

#

"He only wanted to make sure that Joyce and I were alright," Heero mused after his friend had relayed Lowe's 'message' to him and the others. "And here I was thinking the worst." The realization left the young man with a bad taste in his mouth.

A hand touched his shoulder reassuringly, and when he looked up Wufei was standing beside him. "Don't be too hard on yourself. Your grandfather isn't completely blameless in this, you know. If he had been a little more open and honest with you..."

"Wufei is right," Trowa agreed. "He didn't even tell you that your mother was dead."

"Actually," Heero frowned slightly. "He did in a way if I think about it. You see..." he explained at his friends' questioning looks. "he never made a secret out of the fact that I had been adopted. And when I started asking questions about my birth parents he first told me that it was a closed adoption, but later he admitted that my real mother had died. But by then I thought it was just something he had made up to keep me from bothering him any further about it."

There was a brief pause before Heero sighed. "Maybe if I would have been a little more persistent we wouldn't have to go through all this trouble now. I really do appreciate you guys doing this, you know."

"What are friends for, right?" Wufei shrugged.

Milliardo grinned at him and added. "Besides it's a Friday night, what could be possible be more fun than breaking into a junkyard with your friends to have a little chit chat with a ghost. Don't think too many people can stake claim on having done something like that before."

Heero huffed in a mixture of sarcasm and amusement. "Duo was right, totally bonkers," he mumbled under his breath.

"So Lowe took those pictures for J and then they went their separate ways. But a few years later the man for one reason or another drives cross country and crashes not far from where J used to live." Trowa pondered. "Anyone else thinks there is more to this story."

"Yeah, I would say it is safe to assume that J did hire him again." Milliardo remarked.

"Yes," Wufei agreed. "Something must have happened."

"I thought about that." Heero said. "What if he was just hired to deliver me to J after that car accident that killed my mother. It would make sense, and it would explain why I remember traveling with him in that car." The young man gestured at the blue Buick.

Pulling his lower lips through his teeth thoughtfully, Trowa shook his head. "Too easy."

"What do you mean?"

"It's possible, but leaves too many questions. If he was just going to bring you here, why go through the trouble of traveling by car? Flying would not only have been faster but more convenient; and we already know that money didn't seem to matter to J when it came to his family. However, it does fit in with all the secrecy surrounding your adoption. Why was it so important to J that nobody found out who you really were?"

Although the question had been directed at Heero, it seemed that Odin Lowe was the one willing, and most likely able, to answer it, because Quatre suddenly found himself back in that same little office he already knew from his earlier vision. And once again he was in the middle of a phone conversation.

_"...Yes, of course I remember you. It's not every day for a client to add a 3000 dollar bonus to a 2 grand bill. something like that sticks in your mind. What can I do for your this time; more pictures of the little one?"_

_"Mister Lowe," J's voice sounded a little different than in their first conversation, underlined by something akin to fear. "I assume you own a gun, and know how to use it if need be?"_

_Quatre found himself hesitating for a moment before he confirmed. "I do have a gun and a permit to carry it. What exactly is this about?"_

_"My daughter called me last night. She and her family are currently staying at a motel outside of Las Vegas. I need you to meet with them, and make sure they are safe... at any cost. Perhaps you can convince them to come and stay with me here in Waldenburg, at least for a while."_

_Another moment of hesitation on the P.I.'s part as his mind was reeling. "Let's assume they agree. Do you want me to drive them to the airport and put them onto the next plane. Or do you actually want me to escort them all the way?" he finally asked as he pulled a notepad and pen from the top drawer of his desk with his free hand._

_"No plane, you would have to drive here," the voice on the other end of the line replied. "Airlines, even small charter ones, have to keep passenger lists; it's too easy to check those."_

_"Alright," he put down the pen and glared the paper. "What the hell is going on? If I take this job I want know what I am getting myself into. I don't like surprises."_

_J sighed. "It's nothing illegal if that's what you are worried about. I just need to make sure that they are safe."_

_"Nothing illegal?" he echoed. "Very well. Give me an hour to get a few things together and I can be on my way."_

_"Thank you. I feel a lot better already."_

_"Okay tell me how and where to meet them ..."_

Quatre blinked as the vision suddenly and unexpectedly faded. "Wait...there has to be more..."

"He is gone!" Heero declared, as he exchanged a puzzled look with his friend.

The blond nodded. He couldn't feel the ghosts presence anywhere anymore. _What happened?_

"Guys?"

Milliardo's warning came only a fraction of a second before a pair of strong flashlights was pointed directly at them. Instinctively Trowa's hand went for his gun.

"Hold it right there! Don't move!" a sharp, male voice demanded.

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 17**

"Don't even think about running." A second voice added, and the command was emphasize by vicious barking.

Squinting into the bright light directed at them, Trowa could make out two men dressed in the grey and blue uniform of a local security company. Between them a Rottweiler the size of a small grizzly bear was straining against his leash. The young man relaxed somewhat, but didn't remove his hand from his gun yet. As far as he knew, rent-a-cops didn't carry weapons. But that dog looked strong and angry enough to rip someone to pieces.

Milliardo tightened his grip on Cabal. He could feel the Borzoi tense. But like most hunting dogs he rarely barked without his master's orders.

"Stay!" Milliardo told him quietly.

"Aus Blitz! Sits!" One of the security guards ordered sharply and the Rottweiler instantly fell silent.

Trowa finally lowered his hand. _Wonderful, getting arrested for breaking and entering. Quatre's father is going to kill me; or even worse... fire me. _

"What are you doing here?" The first guard, the one handling the dog, barked. "And don't give me any bull shit about getting lost and ending up here on accident."

"Nick..." His partner, a heavy set, dark-haired fellow, gestured at the dark-blue Buick standing just a few feet to the left. "Isn't that the... You know, the...? "

"The what?" Nick glared at him. "You are not making sense."

The dark haired guard swallowed. "Remember what Pete told us about being careful around this place at night. Its haunted he said, and that's the car he was talking about. I'm sure of it."

"Idiot," the dark-haired man huffed. "He was pulling your legs."

"I don't think so. I heard it from Tom Krueger too. You know, he used to be a mechanic here. He said he almost got killed by that darn thing."

"That's right." Wufei suddenly threw in, earning himself a surprised look not only from the two security guards but from his friends as well. ""You are absolutely right. This place **is** haunted. Makes sense, right? A junkyard is a little like a graveyard. People die in car accidents all the time... all that dark energy... no wonder spirits like to linger here. You see, we aren't here to steal anything, if that's what you are thinking. We are paranormal investigators, you must know."

"Para... what what's?" The dog handler looked at Wufei like he was talking in a foreign tongue. His partner was a bit more knowledgeable, but only slightly.

"He means ghost hunters?"

"Well actually that is not completely correct." Wufei pushed his glassed up in his best imitation of a nerdy teenager. "Because that would imply that we are actually 'hunting' ghost. But we are actually only investigating them, you see. We too heard about some 'ghostly activities' that have been reported and we came to check it out."

"Ghost detectives then, huh?" The guard's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "And what makes that him?" he asked, gesturing at Cabal. "Scooby Doo?"

If the Borzoi was offended by the remark he did not let it on. Someone else however, did not seem to be amused by the comment. Both Quatre and Milliardo could feel Alexander move forward, and they exchanged an anxious gaze.

_Alexander, don't do anything stu..._

Quatre hadn't even finished the thought when the Rottweiler suddenly jumped up with a yelp. With his non-existing tail between his legs, the large dog took off running, dragging along his shouting handler.

"Blitz stop, sits Blitz, sits... what the heck has gotten into you...slow down...?"

###

"Ghost detectives?" Treize Khushrenada was laughing so hard that he had tears in his eyes. "I can't believe you actually said that."

"Hey," Wufei shrugged. "It wasn't like I had a lot of time to come up with a story. I figured in the worse case they would take us a group of nutcases, which still seemed better than being arrested for burglary."

It was long after midnight when the gang had finally made it back to Milliardo's place where Treize and Duo were already waiting. Trowa and Quatre had excused themselves soon thereafter, since they had an early morning flight to the west coast scheduled. The professor had made coffee for everyone else while he listened to their story.

"Stop laughing!" Milliardo nudged his lover with his elbow. "And be grateful it worked, otherwise you might be on the way to the sheriff's office now to bail us out of jail."

"What makes you think I would have come to bail you out?" Treize teased, earning himself a second, much harder nudge.

"Or," Duo added with a grin. "You and I could be sitting here making plans on how to break them out of the loony bin."

"Na, I don't think Alexander would have let it come to that."

"Speaking of which...," Heero picked up his steaming coffee mug. "I'd never realized that Alexander was so protective of Cabal."

"Always has been," Treize confirmed with a gaze into the hall where the Borzoi was sleeping in his doggy bed. "I think he believes I bought that dog for him. So," he looked back at the young man at the kitchen table across from him. "All in all do you think tonight was a successful endeavor?"

For a brief moment Heero stared into his cup in thoughtful silence before finally nodding. "I think so, yes. I just wish it had not ended as early and as sudden as it did."

In the car on the way back, Quatre had told him about his third, but unfortunately incomplete, vision. "It seems like we got so close only to have the door slammed close again into our faces."

"You are planning on talking to him again, Odin Lowe I mean?" Treize asked.

"Maybe. But not until I figure out a better way to do it. I obviously didn't think this through very carefully; getting anyone in trouble was not my intention."

"Of course not." Milliardo replied. "And you didn't put a gun to our heads either. So there is no reason to blame yourself. But I do agree, sneaking into the junkyard again might not be a good idea."

"At least we know Lowe isn't some kind of vengeful spirit, right?" Wufei added.

"That's right. Maybe I'll buy the car and have it towed to my property. I had been thinking about that before, but Duo warned me about the consequences when we didn't know what and how Lowe's ghost was feeling toward me. But now that should not be a problem anymore."

"Still, I think you should wait a few days, though," Treize suggested. "In case those guards file some report."

"They didn't even take down our names," his lover pointed out.

"But the owner might put two and two together if Heero suddenly shows interest in that car." Wufei replied.

The professor stifled a yawn as he nodded in agreement. "Sorry, guys its past my bedtime," he apologized with an somewhat embarrassed smile.

"It is getting late," Heero nodded. "We probably should leave, too."

"You don't have to; at least not on my behalf." Treize told him. But the young man shook his head.

"No, I am getting tired too. Let's talk more tomorrow. In fact why don't you guys come over for dinner. We have a whole load of freshly caught fish in the fridge, that I was planning on throwing onto the BBQ."

"You fish?" Treize raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Who, me? No, I don't have the patience. But Duo and I made a friend who does. Once a month he sends us a cooler box via FedEx overnight. Sometimes the fish is flash frozen sometimes smoked. Must be catfish season now."

"Ah nice. I love catfish."

"It's settled then. We will see you tomorrow."

##

"What are you thinking about?" Duo was sitting in the passenger seat with Heero driving and Wufei in the backseat of the jeep. In spite of the late, or early, hour the streets were not as deserted as one would have expected. This was a college town after all where the 9 to 5 time period didn't start in the morning; especially not on the weekend.

The young man shrugged. "Going over that last vision Quatre had again. I'm still trying to figure out what it all means. Why would they suddenly leave their home and move into a hotel? And why would they need protection? Something scared my mother enough to make her call J for help. It almost sounded like someone was after them."

"Have you ever considered that the one she was scared of wasn't a stranger?" The braided young man asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" Heero wanted to know. "You are not suggesting that she was running from my father' are you?"

Duo shrugged. He could tell his lover didn't like the insinuation. But the fact remained... "Domestic violence is not that uncommon."

"No way!"

"I know it's probably hard to believe but it is not impossible."

"Yes it is!" Heero insisted sharply. "I am starting to remember bits and pieces in dreams and stuff. They were in love, Duo, and happy. Besides, according to Quatre J said that his daughter and her family were staying in a motel... **My daughter and her family**. To me that means Joyce, my father and me."

"Hmm..." The braided young man frowned slightly. "I guess you are right. He would have probably said my daughter and my grandson otherwise."

"Exactly," Heero exclaimed. "That pretty much takes care of your theory that my father was a wife beater, I would say."

"Alright alright," Duo replied calmly and apologetically. The last thing he wanted was to upset his lover. "How about a different theory then? Quatre said that they were staying in a motel outside of Las Vegas. So I assume they probably also lived in that area. Maybe they got into trouble with the wrong kind of people."

"With the wrong people?" Heero echoed.

Duo sighed."Do I really have to spell it out for you? Las Vegas, Nevada... lots of money... gambling... M...O...B..."

"Mob? Geez Duo, this happened in the mid 80s, not in the mid 20s." Wufei's voice came from the backseat, just as the other two young men thought their friend had fallen asleep.

"But organized crime in Vegas did not die with Bugsy Siegel." Duo pointed out.

"Seriously you have got to stop watching those godfather movies." Heero told his friend. "Besides, my parents weren't criminals alright."

"How do you know?"

"Excuse me? They were my parents. I just know."

"But, that's just the problem, Heero." His friend replied quietly."You **don't** know. How could you?"

"Duo has a point there," Wufei admitted. "What little memories you have or think you have are not enough to paint a full picture. Especially not when it comes to your father. He is still one big mystery. We don't know anything about him, where he came from, about his family, and even what happened to him."

Heero sighed inwardly as he stared onto the street. He knew his friends were correct. The picture of his family that he had formed I his mind was nothing than wishful thinking interlaced with tiny bits and pieces of memories and things people had told him.

"You are right," he admitted finally. "I don't really know them at all, do I?"

"We could start with what you know, for sure, and take it from there." the Chinese young man suggested.

"Well, I am very sure that my mother died in an car crash. J had no reason to lie about that to his friend and lawyer." Heero's brows narrowed slightly as he put together what they had learned. "We also know that Odin Lowe was sent to meet them at a motel near Las Vegas and talk them into traveling to Waldenburg. If we assume for a moment that he succeeded they might have been on their way there when the crash happened."

"That would definitely explain the location of the accident, near the Nevada border," Duo nodded in agreement.

"In that case it would also be possible that my father was killed in the crash as well," the other youth pondered.

"But wouldn't you have been in the car with them?" Wufei pointed out.

"I'm not sure. I do seem to have memories of driving cross country with Odin Lowe. I somehow always assumed that he was the one who took me to my grandfather. Maybe they thought it would be safer for me to drive with the P.I. Maybe they split up along the way..."

"Or maybe not."

Throwing a quick gaze at his lover, Heero frowned. "Maybe not?" he asked.

"Remember your first memory after seeing Lowe's car? You told me you remembered an accident, and you assumed it was the crash that killed the detective. What if instead you are actually recalling the crash your parents' car was in. It would also explain why you were recovering from a broken arm at the time when you traveled with the P.I."

"And a trauma like that could also explain your memory loss." Wufei remarked. "It could have been either physically or psychological."

"Hmm... I have never thought of that possibility. I just wish I knew more about all this."

"Well, there might be some ways. You could start by doing the same as your grandfather did."

"Adopt a child?" Duo asked.

Wufei rolled his eyes. "Hire a private detective to do some investigating."

"That's right!" Heero nodded enthusiastically. "That might work. We do know that my mother sent that one letter shortly after I was born to J. He was sent from Portland Oregon. And there is the picture she included. That was enough for Odin Lowe to track her down."

"And we also know that they most likely lived in Las Vegas Nevada. With a little math we should figure out the time frame." Wufei added.

"And then of course there was the accident. J said it happened near the Nevada border? But he didn't narrow it down?"

Heero shook his head. "That's all he said, according to my lawyer."

"There should be some police report."

"Right," the young man agreed. "Quatre said in one of his visions he saw my father get into a car. Maybe he remembers the make and the model and the color."

"That would help," Wufei agreed. "Now the question is how to find a good private detective. Somehow I don't think the yellow pages will do."

"Maybe Mister Gray can suggest one to us. The lawyer," Heero explained at his friends questioning look. "He mentioned that occasionally hires one for out of state case work. I am sure he would not work with some overpaid and under-qualified gumshoe."

"But do you trust him?"

"J did, that's all I need to know."

###

"Are you planning to stay up all night again?" Duo propped himself up against the door frame and yawned. His long hair was open and disheveled, and he was wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers with little yellow rubber duckies. When he went to bed Heero had promised to join him shortly. But he woke up an hour or later only to find the bed next to him empty.

Heero was sitting cross-legged in front of the low coffee table on his laptop. Without even looking up the young man shook his head.

"Do I want to know what it is you are doing that couldn't wait till the morning?"

He shrugged. "I just was requesting reprints of all my bills from last year."

"Now that is just sad." Duo huffed. "I thought you were looking at porn or something. That I would have understood. But banking...seriously."

"I just thought of something. Remember how I found the bill that pointed us to the storage unit? Who knows what else I am paying for without realizing it. Besides..." A suggestive smirk crossed Heero's face as he closed the laptop and turned his head. "Why would I want to look at porn if I have the real thing right here?"

Duo returned the grin. "My thought exactly."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 18**

"What do you mean, you can't sell the car to me?" Heero gave the junkyard owner a surprised look. "You said you wanted to get rid of it." He had even hired and brought along a tow truck, from a company that specialized in transporting classic show cars from one venue to another. They probable had never moved a piece of junk, quite literally, like the old Buick. But it wasn't the car as much as the 'tenant' Heero was concerned about.

Pete shrugged and scratched his stubbly chin. "Trust me, it's not like I don't want to. That car has caused nothing but trouble since it got onto my lot. I had two mechanics quit on me over the years because they believed in those stories about the ghost and insisted he kept messing with their tools, moving them..hiding them... stuff like that."

"Now that's just silly." Duo said with a quick side glance at his lover. "Grown men believing in ghost stories?

"Tell me about it," the older man sighed. "Can you believe a couple weeks ago some nutcases actually broke into the yard in the middle of the night to perform some kind of exorcism."

"Seriously? Wow that really does sound nutty. People watching too many of those weird TV shows if you asked me. "

Heero glared back at his friend. He wasn't sure how Duo managed to keep a straight face through his speech. "So, what's the problem then?" he asked. "You want to get rid of it and I want to take it off your hands."

"The problem is, it isn't mine to sell. You see technically the car is only being stored here by the police department who has the paperwork. It's the way it has been for as long as I can remember, because their own tow yard is too small to hold vehicles over a long period of time."

Heero nodded. Pete had mentioned something like that a while back when he first asked him about the car and the accident it had been involved in. "Usually we keep the cars until an investigation is completed and then, if no one steps forward to claim them, they go through the press. I called the sheriff about that a while back but he could only tell me that the case technically has never been closed and that the FBI is in charge. So what am I to do call the feds? Way too much trouble for such a piece of junk, if you ask me."

"Okay, thanks. I know a couple of people involved in that case at the FBI, maybe they can help me. Just do me a favor." Pulling an old business card from his wallet, Heero reached for the pen Pete had been doing a crossword puzzle with when they arrived, and scribbled his phone number onto the back of the card. "Do not get rid of that car without calling me."

"Alright." The junkyard owner shrugged as he took the little card. "I just don't get what you see in that piece of junk."

"You know how those car collectors are," Duo threw in nonchalantly. "They see that one car they have been looking for all their lives and they know that they just have to have it. Normal people like you and I don't see what they see, I guess."

"I suppose," the older man agreed.

"Thanks again," Heero told him as he and his lover turned to leave. "By the way, its Odin."

"Huh?"

"The word you are missing, 27 Down. **Norse God, ruler of Asgard**."

###

"Hey guys, sorry we are late. Hit traffic on Sand Canyon."

Heero and his two roommates were already waiting at Howard's when Quatre arrived followed by a slender man with curly black hair, wearing a dark suit and a pair of designer sunglasses with little round lenses.

Quatre waved at his friends as he settled down next to Wufei. "You guys have met Abdul; from my father's security team?"

Abdul nodded at the young men as he took one of the empty seats, and they returned the greeting.

"Hey man, I like your fashion sense," Duo grinned at him. "Nice shades."

"Thanks." The older man smirked back at him as he looked Duo up and down. "I like your... sense of color coordination."

As so often the braided youth was wearing one of his many black T shirts over a pair of black jeans and topping it all off with a black baseball cap.

"I saw Abdul picking you up from school today," Heero remarked. "Does that mean Trowa left already."

"This morning." Quatre confirmed as he gestured for Hilde to bring them two cokes. "And I'll be heading home tomorrow."

"Wait a second." Duo frowned as he looked at the blonde. "You guys are leaving? Not for good I hope."

"Oh no, just for the break," the other youth assured him. "My sisters would never forgive me if I had a week off and wouldn't come by to visit for at least a few days."

"That's why they sent me to drag him home, kicking and screaming if I have to." Abdul added with a grin, and Quatre couldn't help but laugh.

"If that really was the case they would have sent Rashid instead. I think you probably volunteered to get out of the house yourself for a few days. In any case I'll only be gone until next Thursday."

"And Trowa?" Wufei asked. "He mentioned he was going to meet with his sister this weekend."

Quatre gave another nod, but waited until Hilde had put down their drinks before he actually answered. "That's why he left today already. Catherine only has the weekend off so they wanted at least to make it a long one."

"He will be staying at her place?"

"No actually, in spite of all the hours they have been spending together on the phone and internet those past few weeks, I think they are both still a little nervous. So they decided to meet half way... on neutral grounds as he put it."

"Yep, that's something I could hear Trowa say." Heero gave an amused snort. "I can't say that I blame them, though. How long has it been since the two had been separated."

"More than ten years." Quatre shrugged. "I am not quite sure exactly how long."

"I am still amazed that your father's security chief managed to find her after all these years." Wufei remarked.

"Rashid? I knew if anyone could find her it would be him."

"Too bad, though, that Trowa will be missing the harvest fair tonight."

"Yeah," Quatre agreed with a sigh. He had been looking forward to go to the fair together with his friend. "But there is always next year."

The annual harvest fair was an event proceeding harvest break during the last week of October. The week long sabbatical dated back to times when every hand was needed during the harvest, and the sons and daughters of local farmers and ranchers had to help at home rather than go to school during that time.

At Marymount the fair was as much an event of entertainment as an annual fund-raiser for a predetermined charity or good cause. Two years ago they raised enough money to rebuild a orphanage in Africa and last year they relocated a family of Orangutan from a forest that was scheduled for logging to a wildlife sanctuary. This time however it was a little more local, and personal, at least for Wufei. The money would be used to buy a set of new costumes for lion dancer group at the Chinese cultural center. Several Marymount students, including Wufei, were members of the dance group.

"Before I forget it... Could you guys keep an eye on the house while Trowa and I are gone: take the mail in and stuff?"

"You will have to ask Wu." Duo gestured across the table at his friend. "Heero and I will be gone too."

"Oh?" Quatre gave Heero a questioning look. "Where will the two of you be heading off to; or is that a secret?"

"Of course not. We are flying out to the west coast, following up some leads about my mother."

"Oh right, you **did** mention that you hired a private detective. So he really made progress? What did he find out? Anything to care sharing with us?"

"He found that building in the photo of my mother and me as a baby. It used to be a Christian home, a sanctuary for young, unwed mothers from what I understand. He thinks that my mother might have lived there when I was born. We talked yesterday and he said he was going to see someone from the church associated with the sanctuary today. So I guess we will learn what he found out when we meet with him on Sunday morning."

"Is it just me or are you not sounding too excited." Quatre observed. "Are you starting to have second thought now?"

"No, no that's not it. It just seems that every time I find out something new, it always leads to new questions," Heero told him "If I was born at that home, does that mean the man I assumed to be my father isn't really my father? Did she meet him later on and they hid it off despite the fact that she had a child with someone else? And of course if that's the case, who IS my really father?"

"Hmm... Maybe the person your private detective was meeting today might have some answers to those questions."

"Yes." the young man agreed. "I guess for now we can only wait. Speaking of which... Treize is waiting for us at school, we'd better leave soon or we will be late. Are you guys ready?"

Quatre nodded as he turned to Abdul. "You can take the rest of the evening off. I'll catch a ride home with Heero after the fair."

"Very well, Master Quatre. But if you need me just give me a call."

"Will do." The blonde confirmed with another nod.

###

Carrying two heavy gas bottles Milliardo was beginning to wonder if his arms would be as long as those of a Gibbon by the time he made it to the BBQ area, when he run into his sister, just outside the library.

"Milliardo, what are you doing here?"

"Trying out my new set of free weights," he replied snippily. "What does it look like I am doing? Dorothy told me we are going to need more gas."

"No I mean the BBQs are set up over at the football field this year. There is more room."

"**That** part she neglected to tell me," her brother huffed." I assumed it was at the food court like always. I am not going to carry those things all the way to the sport complex. And there are two more in my car, along with charcoal and woodchips."

"The librarian is letting us use the book trolleys; let's go get one." Relena suggested. Then with a sigh she looked back over her shoulder at her brother. "You have got to forgive Dorothy. Sometimes I think her IQ is even smaller than her bra size."

"Wow, if I would have said something like that you would have called me a chauvinist pig."

"Of course, you are a guy. You shouldn't talk about a girls bra size any more than you would like a girl to comment on penis sizes."

"Especially not if the girl is my little sister."

Relena laughed as she threw another look back at him. "I am not that little anymore, you know."

_So I am beginning to notice._

The young girl held the door to the library open for him. "You can leave those here," she suggested, gesturing to a spot beside the door, where hopefully nobody would fall over the bottles before they came back.

"Back already, Miss Peacecraft? Did you forget something?" The woman behind the large desk seemed nothing like the stereotypical, glasses-wearing and stern looking librarian found in most Hollywood movies. She was young, blond and dressed in a silky floral blouse and a skirt that was probably more than a few inches too short by Marymount regulations. And if she was farsighted she had to be hiding it behind a pair of contacts.

"Kind off. We just came to borrow one of your carts again. We have to take some stuff over to the BBQs."

"You do know where they are, right?" When she looked up from the computer she had been working on she noticed Milliardo and her polite smile grew friendlier. "Milliardo, have you taken a wrong turn along the way? I think I can count the times you visit the library, while you were a student here, on my left hand."

He laughed. "I think that might be just a little exaggerated. But yes, I suppose I never felt drawn into the halls of knowledge as often as some other people."

"Are you going to do the grilling today?"

"Oh no, my father is still the undisputed ruler of the BBQ, and I don't think he is planning on passing on the scepter any time soon," Milliardo smirked. "If I am lucky he will graciously allow me to flip a burger or two."

She laughed in quiet amusement. "Well in any case, I will have to come by later and get some of those famous spare ribs."

With a last nod Milliardo followed his sister who already was heading for the back of the library where some empty carts were standing.

"So, when will his 'BBQ Highness' be here?" Relena asked her brother when he caught up with her.

"Five o clock sharp." Milliardo told her. "And by his royal decree the charcoal is supposed to be hot and the gas grills running by then," he added with a grin.

"Well then you'd better get moving. You should have asked one of your friends to help you."

"I would have, but Treize beat me to it. He already commandeered them into setting up the tables and chairs." _But I shouldn't be complaining, at least I don't have to babysit an impish ghost._

_#_

"No, Alexander, one more to the left otherwise it won't be even with the other side." Treize Khushrenada squinted against the light as he looked up at the ceiling where the loose end of a red and blue garland seemed to be floating in mid-air.

The professor had volunteered to put up the decorations in the auditorium, which was going to be used later for the charity auction.

The garland moved to the next light fixture, and Treize gave a satisfied nod. "That's it. Perfect."

Alexander started to tie the string at the end of the garland to the fixture, just like he had done it with the others before. But suddenly he stopped and the red and blue decoration dropped to the floor, barely missing Treize.

A sound behind him alarmed the professor. Startled his head flew around just in time to see a middle aged woman with shoulder-long brown hair enter the auditorium. She showed no indication of having noticed the 'ghostly incident'. Treize breathed a sigh of relieve and berated himself for not being more careful and locking the door.

"Doctor Mayfield," he smiled. "Can I help you with something?"

"I just wanted to see if you need any help, but..." She looked around, letting her gaze wander over banners and garlands. "...it looks like you got everything under control."

"Yes," he confirmed. "I was just wrapping things up." Indeed, only a few more decorations needed to be hung. With Alexander's help it would be done in no time.

"Well then, I won't keep you from your work, and see if anyone else requires my help."

Doctor Mayfield, the former head of the physics department and now new headmaster .. mistress of the school, had already reached the door when she held her step and turned once more.

"Professor?"

"Yes?" Treize swallowed. Did she see something she shouldn't have, after all?

When their ghostly housemate had learned where the money raised at the fair was going to, he had insisted on coming along to help. For some reason Alexander seemed to have a soft spot for Wufei. Perhaps the young man reminded him of someone he had met long ago on his travels to China. In any case, Treize had agreed to take him along. But now he was seriously questioning the wisdom behind his decision.

"I am glad you and the other teachers persuaded me to go ahead with the fair in spite of everything that happened. Everyone seems to be looking forward to it and working hard to turn it into the best fair ever."

When Dr Mayfield took over the school she had originally decided to cancel the festivities for this year. In the light of what had happened, including the untimely death of their music professor, she figured that any kind of celebration would be inappropriate. However, Treize and several other staff members argued that not in spite of what happened but because of it the fair needed to go on. The students... no the school needed a reason to come together again and see that things were back to normal. In the end she had reluctantly agreed.

"I am glad you allowed yourself to be persuaded." Treize gave the woman a soft, reassuring smile. He was sure it was not easy for her to take over the school under these circumstances. "I am sure it will be a wonderful event."

"Yes, I am sure it will be. Thanks."

As the doctor finally left, she nearly collided with Heero Yuy and his friends who were just about to make their way into the auditorium.

"Sorry, Dr Mayfield," the young man offered apologetically.

"Don't worry about it." She just nodded. " By the way, thanks for volunteering to help, gentlemen."

"I wouldn't exactly call it 'volunteering'," Duo mumbled under his breath, earring himself an amused chuckle from Quatre and a nudge from Wufei.

"Stop complaining, Maxwell. It's Friday afternoon: are you telling me you had anything better to do?"

"I am sure I could think of a thing or two."

"What are you guys doing here?" Treize Khushrenada stopped their little quarrel. "I thought you are out there setting up stuff?"

"Done already." Heero told him. "I mean, how long does it take to put up a few hundred chairs and some tables."

Quatre smiled as he turned his head and gazed to his left. "Hello there, Alexander? I see you have been pressed into service, too."

"I did not 'press' anyone into service. He wanted to come." the professor defended himself. "Besides we are short on ladders and he comes in very handy."

"Yes, I can imagine. But are you sure there isn't something in the rules about bringing ghosts, specters and other supernatural creatures to school? I mean this isn't Hogwarts." Duo grinned, as he looked around. "Where are you anyway, old man?"

The last words had barely left his mouth when a ghostly hand pulled the baseball cap from his head quicker than he could react.

"Hey, that's not funny. Treize, make him give it back. That's my favorite hat."

The professor sighed and mumbled something about childishness and him feeling like a kindergarten teacher.

"I think Alexander and I have things pretty much under control here, why don't the four of you see if Milliardo needs any help with the BBQs."

Duo who was trying to chase after the ghost, or more precise his hat, stopped in his track. "Did anyone say BBQ?"

* * *

TBC

Author's Note: After finishing The Well, I am about to wrap things up in this story as well. This chapter might be a little slow, but it was needed to tie things together and set up the foundation for the next 'ghost detectives' story "The Amulet".


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 19**

"Miss Mullhauser?" The elderly woman, who had been picking up apples beneath a large tree in her front yard, set down her basket and straightened up as she turned to face the two young men standing at her gate.

"Yes? May I help you?" Her voice was somewhat high but it fit her overall appearance. She was a little woman, probably in her mid sixties, with gray hair and kind eyes, and she spoke with just the slightest of accents.

"My name is Heero Yuy and this is my friend Duo Maxwell," Heero introduced himself. "Father Mahoney from All Saints church gave us your address..."

"Ah yes, the father emailed me last night. He told me to expect visitors." Wiping her hands at the front of her apron she came over to them to open the gate. It was a warm and sunny afternoon and she wasn't wearing a jacket over the blue and white dress she had on. "He said you are Joyce's boy, is that true?"

"I am," he confirmed with a nod. "Does this mean you do remember my mother?"

"But of course dear. I remember all of my girls, but Joyce especially. Should we go inside? I made some apple pie earlier; it should be cooled just enough for eating."

As she lead the way into the little whitewashed cottage, she turned her head to look back at her visitors. " I know, I probably should not say this any more than a mother saying that she likes one of her children more than another, but Joyce was one of my favorites." Her eyes that had been sparkling happily grew sad. "Father Mahoney mentioned she passed away."

"Yes," Heero confirmed. "It was a car accident in 1988."

"What a tragedy," she sighed. "I suppose the good lord had his reasons."

As they entered the house she changed into a pair of fluffy slippers, then ushered the young men into a cozy little kitchen full of hand painted pottery and colorful flowers. Duo volunteered to cut the pie while she put on a pot of tea, and Heero felt a bit useless sitting there at the round table beneath the large bay window.

"So you must have known Heero when he was just a little baby, Miss Mulhauser." Duo eyed the pie from all sides before he started to slice into it.

"Please, call me Ruth or Sister Ruth if you must, Dear. Nobody ever uses my last name," she told him as she pulled three delicate looking tea cups with matching saucers and pie plates from the cupboard. "But yes, of course I knew him as a baby, in fact I helped to deliver him. You see I was a nurse before I became a nun, and young Hiro here a bit on the impatient side and absolutely unwilling to wait for the ride to the hospital."

Duo laughed. "Impatience? That's a trait he still hasn't outgrown, I'm afraid."

"Look who is talking," Heero huffed while trying to hide the blush that was starting to creep into his face.

Sister Ruth chuckled quietly as she put the dishes onto the table and poured the tea. "So, tell me what I can do for you, child. I don't think you came all this way to listen to embarrassing stories from the past."

"Actually," Heero admitted as she slipped into the chair across from him."Stories from the past is exactly what we are after. Just not about me. You see, I only have very few memories of my parents or the time before they died. I am trying to piece together their past to learn more about who they were...who I am. You seemed to be one of the few people we were able to track down who know my mother."

The old woman nodded understandingly, her eyes turning sad again. "I only knew her for a very short time, but I can tell you she was a good person. And she loved you very much; you should never doubt that. In fact, that's the reason she came to our home. Back then it was one of our daily routines to visit strip clubs and other places of 'questionable entertainment' to let the girls there know that the lord's door was always open for them if they were looking for a new beginning. We would leave flyers and cards behind. One day your mother showed up at the door of All Saint's Home with one of our flyers. She had just found out that she was pregnant and she needed not only a place to stay, but someone to help her through this difficult time."

"My mother was a stripper?" Heero asked. It was another blow to the perfect picture he had painted of her in his mind.

"Oh no." Sister Ruth shook her head. "She worked as a night cashier at the convenient store across the street from one of the clubs we had visited. She was hard working but she knew little of the things a woman, especially a woman who wanted to get married, needed to know. Joyce told me her own mother died when she was very young and there was no one to teach her. Her father was a great man as she put it, but too absorbed in his work to find time for her."

"Is that what she called him; a great man?" the young man wondered. "I thought she really didn't like my... grandfather. They had a falling out that led to her running away from home."

"Yes, she told me about that too." She gave a smile and a nod to Duo who had joined them at the table and was passing out little pieces of warm apply pie to everyone. "In fact Joyce spoke of many things while we were cooking or cleaning together."

"What about my father? Did she tell you anything about him?"

"Oh yes, she spoke often about him. He was a Japanese exchange student at the school where she was also taking classes. They fell for one another and... well who am I to judge. In any case, by the time Joyce learned that she was with child he had already gone back home." She paused briefly to take a sip from her cup, then looked at Heero's plate. "You haven't tried the pie yet, Dear."

"Oh...I... umm yes," he nodded as he reached for his fork and took a big bite. "It is very good," he assured her even so at the moment he was just too anxious to really taste anything. "Do you know if my mother ever told him...my father I mean, about me?"

She nodded while she sampled the pie herself. "She didn't want to at first. She said Hiroshi... yes that was his name I remember now, he was the eldest son of a very wealthy and very old family in his country. I was not sure if that was the truth or if it was something that she made herself believe. He had to return home to take his place as the head of the family due to his father's declining health. From what I understand it is a very different culture; very tradition bound."

"But eventually she did contact him?" Heero remembered that in his dreams Joyce had called the man he believed to be his father Hiroshi.

"I told her she should. That he had a right to know that he was going to be a father, and that it should be up to him to decide to do the right thing or not." Another pause for another sip of tea.

Heero exchanged a gaze with his lover who smiled at him reassuringly.

"For a while I wasn't sure if Joyce took my advice, but then one day there he was, standing outside the gate with his fancy car and a huge bouquet of flowers and the largest teddy bear I had ever seen. He was so polite and so...proper, I suppose would be the word. Mother Superior and I met him at the gate... men were not allowed to enter the compound... and he bowed to us and thanked us for taking care of Joyce and his son, and apologized for not being around to taking care of those responsibilities himself. I had never seen anything like it, indeed a very different culture."

"So my mother left with him?"

"Not right away. She wanted him to be sure that being with her and you was what he really wanted. But I don't think there was any question left in his mind, once he laid eyes on you. I fully assumed he would take the two of you home with him, and was surprised when Joyce mailed me and told me that they had gotten married and bought a house in Nevada."

"What about his duties as the head of his family?" Duo, who had been listening silently until now, asked.

"Love can make you do crazy things, they say," she smiled kindly. "It can make you go against everything even duties and traditions."

"You stayed in contact even after she left?" Heero wanted to know.

"We did," Sister Ruth confirmed. "At first she would send me a letter every few months, but then it became more infrequent. But she would never forget to sent me a card for Christmas and one for my birthday. That's why...when those cards stopped all of a sudden I knew something had to have happened to her."

There was a long moment of silence until Heero looked up from his half empty tea cup. "You wouldn't by any chance have any old photos of my parents would you?"

"But I do."The aging nun nodded vigorously. "More so of Joyce and you, since your father seemed to have taken them, but also a picture or two of him. Would you be a dear..." she reached out to touch Duo's arm. "In the living room; the media cabinet. On the left side there are several photo albums, if you could bring us some of the older ones."

"But of course." Duo agreed.

As he walked through the adjacent dining area into the living room her eyes following him and she smiled. "He must be a very good friend, to have come all this way with you."

"Yes, he is." Heero confirmed. "Duo never knew his parents either, so he knows how important this is to me."

"Well I do hope that you will be able to find out whatever it is you are trying to learn."

"Thank you, that's very nice of you to say."

Moments later Duo returned with about half a dozen leather-bound albums. Apparently they were all sorted by year because it took her only a few minutes to find the ones she was looking for.

"Here we go." she pulled out a picture here and there, handing it off to Duo who passed them on to Heero after taking a quick look.

As the young man studied the pictures he couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, you were a chubby little fellow," his friend smirked. "And your mother really seemed to adore you. Wow, is that your father? No wonder your mother fell for him. Now I know where you got your looks from."

Heero blushed slightly and resisted the urge to kick the other youth under the table. But Duo was right, Hiroshi was rather handsome with dark hair, golden tanned skin and black, slightly slanted eyes. _I suppose I got my eye color from mother's side._

Turning over one of the few photos that showed them as a family Heero read the inscription in the back. Hiroshi, Joyce and Hiro April '83

The young man frowned slightly.

"Did you write this, Sister Ruth?"

"No, I assume your mother did. Why?"

Heero's frown deepened. "Hmm...it's the way my name is spelled. I always spelled it H E E R O and that's the way it is written in all my legal papers too."

"Hmm... That is a little strange but I know you mother put H I R O in the birth certificate. She told me it means something like tolerant, prosperous and generous in Japanese qualities she probably wished on you. Of course it's also part of your father's name."

"I wonder why J changed it?" Duo mused.

"J?"

"My... Umm Joyce's father." Heero explained. " He raised me after my parents died."

"I see. I had always wondered if the two of them ever had a chance to make up. "

"We were on the way to see him when the accident happened."

The young man was still studying the photos in front of him. He felt like they were some kind of key that could unlock the memories of his past.

"Would you like a copy of any of those photos?" She suddenly asked.

His head snapped up. "I'd love to. But how?"

"There is a photo store in the little shopping center down the street. They will scan the photos and print you a copy or put them onto a digital disk right while you wait."

"You wouldn't mind if I did that?"He asked.

"Not at all, Dear."

"And while he is gone," Duo added. "How about if I repay you for that wonderful pie, by picking the rest of the apples from the tree?"

"Careful," Heero warned with a smirk. "What he really is saying is 'I wouldn't mind having another piece of that apple pie."

Sister Ruth laughed. "Funny, that's exactly what I heard. And I don't mind a bit."

###

"Mister Yuy!"

He and Duo had almost crossed the hotel lobby when the young man at the reception desk called out to them. "There was a call for you while you were gone. A Mister Saunders; he asked to be called back at this number."

Heero accepted the note the clerk was handing him with a nod. "Thank you."

As he followed his friend into the elevator the young man frown slightly. Bill Saunders was the private investigator he had hired to help him track his parents. He was a retired LAPD police officer who had been highly recommended by Heero's lawyer.

"I wonder why he didn't call my cell?"

"Could it be because you turned off your phone before we visited Sister Ruth?" His lover asked dryly.

The elevator took them up to the third floor where Duo unlocked the door to their suite, while the other youth already thumbed the PI's number into his cell phone.

"It's Heero Yuy. You wanted to talk to me, Mister Saunders?" He kicked off his shoes and flopped onto the large king size bed.

"Yeah I just wanted to let you know that your hunch about those reoccurring bills was a good one."

When checking through old credit card statements, Heero had noticed that J had some kind of standing subscription with a landscape or flower company. He had been billed every year by them, for as far back as he was able to check. At first he though J might have hired someone to take care of his wife's grave but the amount wasn't large enough. When he hired Saunders he had told the PI about those bills and his suspicion that they could be somehow related to his parent's death.

"What did you find out?"

"I traced the charges to a small flower shop in an even smaller one-horse town on the border of Nevada and Arizona. They told me that any information about their customers was confidential and a few minutes later the sheriff showed up and wanted to know what I was doing in his town. Yes, he actually said HIS TOWN. Well he turned out a decent guy after all. After I explained the situation he talked to the store owner and told me your grandfather was paying them to put flowers and a wreath once a year by the interstate just out of town, where an fatal car accident had happened more than a decade ago. But that's pretty much all I got. The sheriff said he was happy to talk to you personally as long as you can identify yourself."

"Thanks, that helps a lot. What did you say the name of the town was?"

"Cloverfield, about 50 miles northeast of Mesquite. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Not at the moment thanks, Duo and I will head for Nevada tomorrow morning. I'll contact you to let you know what we found out."

"Sounds good," Saunders agreed. "How did your meeting with the old nun go, by the way?"

"Better than I had hoped. Not only did she know and remember my mother, but she met my father as well. Between that and your new information I have the feeling I am finally getting somewhere."

"Alright then, good luck. I will be waiting for your call."

"Thanks."

As Heero turned off his phone Duo looked at him questioningly.

"We will be leaving for Nevada tomorrow morning," his friend told him.

"What about our second visit with Sister Ruth?"

"I'll call her to let her know we have to postpone it." Pushing himself up, Heero settled on the edge of the bed. "Saunders found the place where the accident most likely happened. and we need to get there by Wednesday."

Duo frowned, slightly confused. "I know this is important to you, but why the sudden rush? What's a day or two more? I mean, wouldn't it make more sense to learn everything we can here in Portland before we move on?"

"Maybe, but...You see those charges on J's credit card were made every year, once a year. And always on the 27th of October."

"That's on Thursday." Duo's frown deepened. "Do you think what I think you think?"

His friend nodded silently. "If J had them put flowers on the spot where his daughter died it would make sense that they would do it the day the accident happened, and probably bill him the following day. - We will leave tomorrow morning, fly to Las Vegas and take a car from there. Maybe we will find out anything else along the way," he decided firmly.

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 20**

"Should we have something to eat now or stop somewhere along the way to Cloverfield?" Heero asked as he climbed behind the wheel of the jeep wrangler he had just rented.

Duo flung his canvas bag into the back then slipped into the passenger seat.

"I know its later already than we had planned but let's grab something while we are still in town. Call me silly but I am always a little reluctant about eating some place in the middle of nowhere, especially along a highway or interstate."

"You afraid they frying up road kill?" Heero laughed.

"You said it, not me. But hey you never know. I've heard possum tasted just like chicken," the braided young man joked.

His friend gave another laugh. "Alright, I think I gonna go for steak tonight."

In spite of their best intentions the two young men didn't get on a flight to Las Vegas until the early afternoon. To make up for some of the time they had lost Heero decided to charter a small plane to take them to Mesquite, rather than driving the 80 or so miles. The flight was quick and uneventful, but by the time they had made it out of the airport and through the long line at the car rental place it was after 5 o'clock. Still a little early for dinner but they hadn't had a decent meal since the breakfast at their hotel in Portland.

Besides, Duo was right. Once they headed north there was no saying what kind of, if any, rest stop they would come across. And as for Cloverfield, their destination... Saunders had called it a one horse town. So far they really only know for sure that there was a flower shop and a sheriff's office in town. Most certainly it wouldn't have as many different restaurants to offer as Mesquite had.

A good twenty minutes later they stopped outside a Burger and BBQ Bar. The place didn't need any advertisement. The mouthwatering smell of meat cooking slowly over an open flame was probably enough to draw in every hungry soul within a 5 block radius.

"All you can eat buffet!" Duo read from a marquee above the entrance. "Now that's my kind of restaurant.

Heero grinned as he followed his friend and lover. "Just make sure to not pick the 'chicken'. It's not that far from the freeway."

##

The rental came with a full tank so it wasn't to fill up that Heero pulled into a gas station just outside town.

"We are on our way to Cloverfield, you've got any maps of the area?"

"Cloverfield?" The gas station man looked at Heero like he had announced that he was going to live on the moon. "What on god's green earth would you want at a place like that? If you are trying to spend a vacation Mesquite is the next best thing to Vegas, a lot less crowded and a lot more relaxing. But if you go further north...there is nothing, nothing I tell you."

"Yeah well, I am not on vacation," Heero replied. "The maps?"

The man shrugged and gestured over his shoulder to a display rack right next to the counter.

It took Heero only a minute or so to find what he was looking for. He added a six pack of coke, and a bag of chips for Duo and paid with his gold card which earned him a suspicious look from the guy behind the counter.

"I'll need to see an ID with that."

The young nodded and pulled his driver's license from his wallet. A few minutes later he was on his way.

Duo was lounging in his seat with his feet on the dashboard and his baseball cup pulled down over his eyes. "What took you so long?" he yawned. "For a moment there I thought you had ditched me and left on your own."

"The thought crossed my mind, but then I remembered you are in the car." Heero tossed his friend the chips.

"Want me to drive for a while?"

"I'm fine," the young man assured him as he started the car. "It's only 48 miles, how long can it take...an hour?"

"Give or take a few," Duo concurred. Of course neither of them had driven the route before, and therefore didn't realize that they had to leave the four lane freeway after only a few miles and soon thereafter even the country highway was replaced by a dusty, badly worn, one lane road that didn't allow them to drive faster than 35 miles an hour. And even that was a risky speed after sundown.

_Why did my parents choose this route rather than staying on the freeway? It might have been a more direct way, but I can't imagine this road looking any better 15 years ago,_ Heero wondered as they slowly made their way north.

At one point they had to stop and wait, because an armadillo that that been crossing from one side of the side to the other suddenly decided to take a nap in the middle of the road. After a lot of honking the animal finally raised its head, looked at them, hissed and shuffled away.

And then there it was, literally in the middle of nowhere. The person responsible for naming Cloverfield must have possessed a strange sense of humor. Considering the town was located in the middle of the desert there wasn't a clover around and not a single field either, and most certainly not any clover fields.

_Well, I suppose it could be called a town_, Heero thought. But he was sure that no more than a thousand people called it home.

Duo must have been having similar thoughts because he turned toward the other youth with a amused huff. "Do you think they are taking in the sidewalks and roll up the streets when it gets dark?"

"What streets?" Heero replied dryly.

In all fairness the young man had to admit that the town looked a whole lot better once they got a little closer. It was a sleepy little place with a wide main street and a big sign that greeted visitors in big bold letters: "Welcome to Cloverfield, Population 896"

While following a number of signs to the local hotel they came across a little flower shop, and Heero made a mental note of the name "Blooming Hills".

A few minutes later they pulled into the hotel parking lot. The young woman behind the reception counter was chewing bubble gum and flipping through some kind of fashion magazine. But when she noticed them she quickly made the magazine and gum disappear and gave the two young men a polite and professional smile. "Welcome to Cloverfield, how can I help you?"

"We need a room for the night... possibly two or three nights actually." Heero explained.

She looked at him then at Duo and back to Heero. "One room? Two single beds or a double?"

"Either one will be fine."

She started to type on her computer. "Room 52, that's on the upper floor right next to the elevator. It's 78 dollar the night, that includes satellite TV and our complimentary continental breakfast."

"What about internet?" Heero wanted to know. He never traveled without his laptop.

She nodded. "Wireless all through the hotel."

"Thanks, we will take it."

##

The following morning, after their 'complimentary' breakfast the two young men headed 'into town'. The flower shop was already open, and Heero, who had planned on visiting the sheriff first, changed his mind. He parked across the street because a silver Honda, with the license plate of a national car rental chain, had already taken the spot right in front of the store.

As he and Duo crossed the street, the door to the flower shop opened accompanied by a soft jingling of bells. A tall, dark-haired man in a black suit stepped onto the sidewalk followed by a second, considerably younger man. Both of them were of Asian descent. The older man walked around the car to the driver seat while his companion waited at the passenger side for him to unlock the door.

Heero's gaze was glued on the driver until he disappeared into the Honda. There was something so familiar about him. When he turned his head he realized that the younger man was watching him. For a brief moment their eyes met, before he too climbed into the car.

Almost instinctively Heero held his step. He watched as the Honda pulled away from the curb and drove off, until Duo's voice brought him back to his senses.

"Heero? Are you alright?"

"Did you see?"

"See what?"

Heero shook his head as he reached out to pull open the door to the flower shop. "Never mind."

Behind his back Duo frowned. _Did I miss something?_

A young man and an older woman, probably mother and son from their apparent resemblance, were working inside the store when they entered. He was watering pots in the window and she was putting together flower arrangements.

"I'll be right with you," the woman told them as she put a large blue bow around the bouquet she had just put together. Then she wiped her hands on a towel and came over to the counter.

"Looking for something specific?"

"Umm... Well yes I suppose so. I am here because of an car accident that happened somewhere in this area in 1988. I know you are being paid to put flowers at that accident side."

She gave Heero a suspicious look. "Are you another detective?"

"No, actually I'm responsible for sending the first one. You see, the person who hired you was my grandfather, he since passed away..."

"If you want to cancel the order you could have just called, Mister ...?"

"Yuy, Heero Yuy. No, I didn't come here to cancel it."

"Then what is it that I can do for you?"

"I am hoping that you could tell me where the accident happened."

She looked at him somewhat surprised and her son who was finished watering came over to join them.

"It's just outside of town. I could take you there. But why?"

"Because my parents died in that crash, and I am trying to figure out what happened."

###

"Morning Sheriff."

The broad-shouldered, husky man walked into the office about a quarter to ten.

"Morning." He took of his Stetson, tossing it onto the coat rack with the experience of someone who had done it many times before, and headed across the room toward the coffee maker. As he picked up the empty glass carafe his brows narrowed into a frown.

"Why is there no coffee?"

"We are out of coffee," replied his deputy, a lanky fellow, whose red shock of hair seemed testimony to him being a descendant of the first Irish settlers that had founded Cloverfield.

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"No, I mean we are out of coffee grinds. You know, the stuff you use to make coffee."

"Newsflash O'Brien, they sell them at the groceries store across the street."

"Lilly used to take care of these things."

"Lilly went on maternity leave two weeks ago," Sheriff Perkins reminded him.

"I know. I suppose that's why we are out of coffee now."

"So, are we going to drink hot water until she decides to come back?"

"Umm...oh, do you want me to go buy some, Sheriff?"

"Aw, never mind. I'll just go and pick up a cup at Penny's." He turned and headed for the coat rack to pick up his hat again.

"Wait Sheriff, I think you want to hear this first."

"Yeah?" Perkins slicked back his hair, put on the Stetson and looked at his deputy expectantly.

"I just got off the phone with Misses M from the flower shop. Apparently we are having visitors in town."

"I know. We saw them yesterday outside the hotel, remember?" The sheriff sighed inwardly. He had known when he hired O'Brien that the young man wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but sometimes he really wondered.

"No, I am talking about different visitors."

"Oh?" That certainly raised Perkins' interest.

"Two young men she said. They showed up at her store this morning. Cody is taking them out to the accident site. And do you know what one of them told her..."

###

The first thing Heero noticed was the flowers and wreaths by the side of the road.

Cody, the young man from the flower shop had led them to the edge of town and pointed them in the right direction. He had been right; it was impossible to miss.

"Looks like someone was here already." Duo remarked, as they parked at the side of the road and climbed out of the car.

They crossed the dusty two lane road slowly, almost hesitantly. Heero stared down at the floral arrangements. Someone had taken great care in displaying them. And it couldn't have been too long ago either. He couldn't imagine that any flower would look fresh for very long in this dry and warm climate.

Duo crouched down in front of what looked like a tiny shrine with two slowly burning incense sticks and a sign with a few kanji painted onto it.

"Can you read what it says?"

Heero shook his head. He had learned Japanese since grade school at J's insistence (now he finally was beginning to understand why) but his knowledge of kanji was still limited. "It could be a name. I am not sure."

"Who do you think left this here?" Still crouching, Duo looked up at his lover.

Heero gave a shrug, even as his mind replayed the short scene outside the flower shop. _That man did look familiar_, he remembered. _But what does that mean?_

He finally unwrapped the bouquet of white lilies he had brought along and placed them carefully amongst the other flowers, before taking a step back. He was not sure what he had expected once he reached the place where his parents died and their peaceful life together ended. Sadness... despair... or anger perhaps. But instead he just had a feeling of emptiness in his chest.

_So this is where it happened? I've come this far yet I barely know anything at all. _

"Heero?"

The young man looked up. Duo gestured at something down the road. "Looks like we are having company."

Turning his head toward town, Heero noticed a black and white Jeep Cherokee slowly moving toward them. As it came closer he could make out a blue and red light bar on top of the vehicle, and soon after the words Cloverfield Sheriff's Department painted across the hood.

The jeep passed them, but only by a couple dozen yards. It turned, headed back toward them and slowed down. Stopping the vehicle next to the two young men, the sheriff leaned out of the driver-side window.

"Howdy, folks. Is that your vehicle?" He gestured toward the jeep across the street. "Can I see some ID, please?"

"Why?" Duo asked even as he already pulled out his wallet. "Is there some kind of law against red cars in Nevada?"

The sheriff gave the young man a glare cold enough to start another ice age. "I don't like wise guys," he declared.

He checked both of their driver's licenses before handing them back. "Heero Yuy..., huh?"

"If you just wanted our names you could have just asked." Duo huffed, earning himself another glare before the sheriff turned his attention toward Heero.

"Remember the lady from the flower shop, Mister Yuy?"

"Of course I do."

"She said you told her the people who died in that crash that happened here 14 years ago were your parents."

"I **did** tell her that," Heero confirmed. "Because it is the truth."

"Is it?" the husky man asked, his voice flat and unreadable. "Then I suppose congratulations are in order. You have made a remarkable recovery... for someone who died as a child."

Duo exchanged a surprised look with his lover, who seemed just as bewildered as he.

"Died?"

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 21**

"Died?" Heero's jaw nearly dropped. The statement hit him like a sucker punch into the guts. He hadn't seen that coming in a million miles.

"That's right. The little fellow died. It's a shame really considering how hard everyone tried to safe him'" the sheriff replied as he slowly got out of his car. He planted himself in front of the two young men, and hooked his thumbs into his low hanging gun belt. His voice had an edge as sharp as a razor blade as he continued. "So why don't we start over with you telling me what kind of scam you guys are up to and who you really are."

"I already told you. My name is Heero Yuy, and as far as I know my parents died here. I came here to find out more about them and what happened that day."

"And I told you that's impossible."

Heero opened his mouth, about to make a sharp reply when his friend stopped him.

"Hold on. Heero, could it be possible that you had a brother?"

_A brother...?_ The other youth frowned. But the sheriff shook his head.

"There was only one child in the car. And I assure you he died. I'll gladly show you the death certificate back at my office. In fact, I think I would like you to accompany me there anyway. I have a few more questions."

"I agree," Heero nodded. "We had planned on visiting you once we were finished here, anyway. And now I think more than ever that we need to talk."

Perkins crooked his head a little. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. For a moment it looked like he was going to say something but then he just nodded agreeably.

"Give us five more minutes."

Another nod. "I trust you will find your way back. The sheriff's office is the third building on the left down main street." He climbed back into his jeep and drove off, leaving the two young man to finish what they had come for.

###

"Still, I just can't believe it." Heero shook his head as he stared at the copy of a 14 year old death certificate. The name on the paper was Hiro Ogiwara. He suddenly remembered sister Ruth mentioning that Joyce had named her son Hiro after his father Hiroshi. _So when and why did Hiro turn to Heero and what about this death certificate? Is it possible that I was wrong; ...that it wasn't me in those pictures I found on that disk? If Joyce and Hiroshi's son died after that crash, what would make that me? J was my grandfather, the DNA test established that. But this makes no sense... And what about my memory pieces and the dreams that I keep having more frequently lately. They can't all just be figments of my imagination...can they?_

"No, it isn't possible." He declared firmly as he looked up. Under the table he could feel Duo's hand reassuringly on his thigh. His lover hadn't said much since they got here, but just having him by his side was enough for Heero.

"I know Joyce and Hiroshi are my parents. They **have **to be."

"Why is that?" Sheriff Perkins played with the toothpick he had been chewing on. He was sitting alongside his desk, with his feet propped up on a second chair. On the other site of the room, Deputy O'Brian was typing up some kind of report on an outdated looking computer system. Occasionally he would raise his head and look into their direction, indicating that he was listening to the conversation.

"Because it's the only thing that makes sense."

"What about the name?" the older man wanted to know. "Ogiwara, is that the Japanese form of Yuy, or what?"

"I don't think so. Like I told you, I was adopted by my grandfather after my parents died. Why he changed my name I have no idea..." _Just like I don't know why he never told me that he was my grandfather. _

"And why now? I mean it's been 14 years..."

"My grandfather never told me anything about my parents. It wasn't until after he died, when I came across..." Heero shook his head. "It's a very long story."

"Well, I am not overly busy this morning," Perkins declared. "So I wouldn't mind listening." He put the toothpick back into his mouth, leaned back in his chair and interlaced his fingers in front of his roundly belly, a sigh that he was ready and waiting.

Heero sighed inwardly. "Fine," he finally agreed.

About thirty minutes, or two toothpicks, later the young man finished his account. He had told the sheriff about his adoption, J's falling out with his daughter, and his discovery of the photos of Joyce which had let him and Duo ultimately to Portland and finally to where he was now. Heero had even mentioned the DNA test he had taken that confirmed his relationship with J. He did leave a few parts of the story though, including the ghost and the car, and his initial assumption that he had been kidnapped. As far as he was concerned the later had nothing to do with him and might only make things more confusing than they were already.

Throughout his report the sheriff had listened silently only nodding a couple of times and raising an eyebrow once or twice.

In the end Heero put up his hands and shrugged. "And that's all that's to it, Sheriff. Do you understand now why I am convinced that my parents were the people who died in that crash?"

"Hmm..." The older man tossed his toothpick into the waste basket at his feet. "I can certainly see why you might think that..."

_..but I am still not fully convinced,_ Heero completed the sentence in his mind. "I really don't know what else to tell you, Sheriff." The young man pushed the death certificate across the desk, and Perkins leaned slightly forward as he reached for the document. His eyes focused on the scar across the underside of Heero's arm, a ragged discolored band of skin indicating an old and probably rather deep wound.

The look didn't escape the young man. He couldn't recall how and when he got that scar, just that it had been there for as long as he remembered. Although he wasn't particularly self-conscious about it, he sometimes wondered what people thought when they saw that scar. He remembered back when he entered high school his counselor had asked J if he had tried to commit suicide.

If Sheriff Perkins at similar thoughts he certainly didn't let it show. He shoved the paper back into the top drawer of his desk and leaned back in his chair. "Since you have been kind enough to answer my questions I suppose it would only be fair for me to asked what I can do for you. You did mention the two of you had been planning on coming by to see me all along," he added at Heero's slightly puzzled look.

"Ah, yes. Well, as you might already have guessed, I was going to ask you to tell me more about the accident; how it happened and exactly what caused it?"

Perkins nodded as though he indeed had expected those questions.

"But I know you still don't believe me. So I wouldn't be surprised if you don't want to give me any details..."

"Accident reports are public records, Mister Yuy ... Well, to a certain extent at least. I could not give you access to a open investigation of course. But this case is so old, it has been shut and closed a long time ago."

"So you will answer my questions?"

"I can do better than that. How about a copy of the report itself. It includes more than I could tell you. You see, I wasn't the first... not even the second or the third person on the scene."

"Thanks, that would be great," Heero replied, although he couldn't help but wonder why the sheriff suddenly seemed so unexpectedly helpful.

"There is just one problem. I don't have those papers myself and I'll have to make a request for a copy to be sent over by courier. It would be here tomorrow. But that shouldn't be a problem, should it? You said you were going to stay in town for a few days, didn't you?"

"Umm... Yes no problem at all."

"Well then I won't keep you any longer. I'll see you tomorrow morning, let's say around 10?"

"Sounds good." Heero agreed with a nod as he and his lover rose to their feet.

Perkins walked them to the door and watched as they crossed the dusty, almost empty parking lot.

"I wonder what he is up to?" Duo threw a quick gaze back as he climbed into the passenger seat of the rental.

"Indeed," his friend agreed, slipping behind the wheel. "There is more going on under that big cowboy hat than he lets on."

"Did you see how he looked at your arm?"

"Uhum," Heero grunted.

"You did have a broken arm when Lowe took you to J, didn't you?"

Another affirmative grunt.

"You think it happened in the accident? And that scar on your arm too?"

The young man shrugged. "Could be, I guess."

"You know what I would really like to know?"

He gave Duo a questioning look as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"If this is such an old and shut case," his lover replied with another look back to where the sheriff was standing in the door to his office, "why is everyone in this town so darn jumpy when someone shows up asking question about the accident?"

###

"You know it it's not true, right? That you don't have a copy of the accident report, I mean." Deputy O'Brian remarked without looking up from his keyboard. "I saw one in your desk when you had me clean it up a few weeks ago."

"Why don't you mind your own business," the sheriff snapped as he finally turned away from the door and walked back to his chair.

"Yes, Sir."

"Finish that report and then head over to Doc Fletcher's house. Tell him I need to see him."

"The Doc went fishing. Won't be back till the weekend. I ran into his wife this morning; gave her a ride home from the market."

"Then make him to come back early."

"How? You know as well as I do that the Doc tossed his cell phone out the very day he retired.""

"Send smoke signs for all I care. Just get him back here before those two leave town." Sheriff Perkins reached for his hat. "I'm going home for lunch."

"Umm...Sheriff, you are just joking, right?"

"About wanting Doc Fletcher back in town?"

"About the smoke signs. We are in the middle of fire season."

Perkins groaned inwardly. "Yes deputy, I was joking about that. Drive out to the airfield. The doc usually goes fishing up in Utah. Chances are he went together with old Jim on his Cessna. That plane has to have a radio."

"Got it Sheriff. Should I tell him it's an emergency?"

"Tell him whatever you want; just get him back here, understood?"

###

It was early afternoon by the time Duo and Heero got back to the hotel. They had stopped at the local restaurant near the little town center for lunch. The food, home-cooked and probably home grown, had been surprisingly good and plentiful. Not even Duo managed to empty his plate.

"Mister Yuy." The young woman behind the reception desk called out to him just as they crossed the lobby. She hung up the phone she had been talking on, while he stepped closer.

"Yes?"

"Pat's Claim Jumper just called," she explained. "One of you must have dropped your phone while you were eating there. They found it in your booth right after your left."

Two sets of hands reached into their pockets, but only Duo's came back out with his cell phone.

The other youth swallowed a curse. He was hot and sweaty, and had been looking forward to a long shower. The last thing he wanted was to have to drive all the way through town again. _Of course, it could be worse_, he reminded himself. _We could be in a town that covers actually more than just a few square miles._

"I'd better go get it." He looked at his lover. "You don't have to come if you don't want. I'll be back in no time."

"Why don't you let me go," Duo suggested.

"Actually, that won't be necessary. I already asked them to send it over." The young woman, her name was Megan according to the little sign on her blouse, told them.

"I suppose it does have it advantages to only 1 hotel in town," the braided young man grinned. "Makes it easy to find someone in a case like this."

"I suppose so," she smiled back at him.

"Thanks a lot, we really appreciate it," Heero told her.

"Not a problem at all. When it goes here I'll have it sent up to your room."

The young man nodded. "Thanks again. Oh by the way, Miss...Megan." He held his step just as he was about to walk away. "I saw some signs in town advertising the hotel and read something about exclusive executive suites. You wouldn't have one of those available, would you? Not there is anything wrong with the room we are in, but since it looks like we will be staying a few days longer..."

"Aww...I'm so sorry, but they are both occupied right now," She gave him an apologetic look. "One of them has been booked for the week by someone from the mine company, and the other is occupied by some guests from Japan."

"Japan?" Heero echoed, suddenly very interested. "Two men, one older one younger?" he asked.

"That's right," she confirmed. " They have been coming here every year for as long as I can remember. Very nice people, very quiet and polite, and big tippers. They will be checking out tomorrow at noon. If you would like to take the suite after that I can have it cleaned and ready for you in the afternoon."

_They are here at the hotel? Of course it makes sense. Like Duo said, this IS the only hotel in town. Why didn't I think of it before. _"Umm...you wouldn't be able to give me their names, would you?" Heero asked.

"I'm sorry, but I am afraid I can't do that."

The young man nodded understandingly. "That's alright. But could you at least tell me if they are in their room right now?"

The young woman looked at Heero slightly confused. "No, actually I think I saw them leaving about an hour ago. They could have come back while I was away from the desk, but..." she added with a look at something over Duo's shoulder. "...their car doesn't seem to be in the parking lot."

Heero turned his head, his eyes sweeping the small lot in front of the hotel. Although, he was sure he would have noticed the silver Honda had it been there when he pulled in.

##

"Are you alright?" Duo gave his lover a concerned look as the elevator took them up to their room. Heero looked exhausted. These past few days seemed to have drained him emotionally. He, Duo, couldn't even begin to imagine was his friend was feeling right now.

"I'm fine," the young man assured him with a ghost of a smile as he leaned against his lover and closed his eyes. "I'm confused and a little frustrated right now," he admitted. "I thought once we get here all of my questions will be answered and I will go home knowing what I wanted to know. But instead of answers we are only stumbling about more questions. Maybe those Japanese can clear a few things up for us. But first I am going to take a very long hot shower." he opened his eyes, his smile turning into tiny smirk. "I might let you wash my back."

"Only your back?" The elevator stopped at the second floor, the doors opening with a quiet swoosh.

"Well, let's start with the back."

Duo chuckled quietly as he unlocked the door to their room. "Want something to drink?"

"Just a coke; lots of ice."

Dropping into one of the somewhat old fashioned and slightly worn out armchairs, Heero watched as the other youth opened the small fridge next to the TV stand and pulled out two bottles of cola. A few moments later Duo handed him a class filled with a good amount of ice cubes, topped with the refreshing brown liquid.

"Thanks. And I don't just mean for the drink. I am not sure if I could this without you being here with me."

"Aw...You managed pretty well without me for the first 19 years of your life." Duo replied with a grin.

"Yeah, but only because I didn't know what I was missing." There was a slight sparkle in those Prussian eyes. Reaching out with his free hand he grabbed the front of Duo's shirt and pulled the young man down to him. He closed his eyes as his lips captured those of his lover in a drawn out, passionate kiss.

Duo opened his mouth slightly. A soft moan escaped him as his lover's tongue slipped between his lips. Somehow he managed, without breaking the kiss, to find the little coffee table beside him to put down his own drink. One of his hands cupped the back of Heero's head as he settled into the young man's lap. The other hand found its way beneath his lover's shirt, roaming over the soft, hot skin.

Heero gasped when those slender fingers brushed against his nipples, and he finally broke their kiss.

"Hold on!" He panted breathlessly. "Unless you don't mind me spilling my coke all over you let me at least put down my glass."

A knock at the door cut off Duo's reply. The braided young man threw a glare over his shoulder. This was not a good time for interruptions.

"It's probably my phone," Heero pointed out. "Let me get it."

Duo sighed as he rose to his feet. "I got it."

He covered the distance to the door in a few large strides, and opened it expecting to see someone from the Claim Jumper restaurant. But the young man standing in the hall didn't look like any kind of messenger or delivery boy.

He was of Asian descent, Japanese if Duo would have to guess, with tan skin and deep brown eyes.

The young man looked at him, a little surprised, as if he too had expected to see someone else. Then his eyes caught Heero still sitting in his chair, and an expression of relief crossed his face.

"Yuy-san?" He asked quietly.

Heero's eyes narrowed slightly. "How do you know my name?"

"The lady at the reception told me your name and room number when I described you."

_Did she? I suppose I am not a good enough tipper. _"And youare?"

"I am sorry." The young man bowed his head slightly. "My name is Akito Ogiwara."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 22**

"And you are?"

"I am sorry." The young man bowed his head slightly. "My name is Akito Ogiwara."

"Ogiwara?" Heero swallowed. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest. "My father's name was Ogiwara, Hiroshi Ogiware. Are you related to him?"

A brief nod. "Hiroshi was my uncle; my father's older brother."

_His brother? That explains why he looked so familiar the moment I saw him._ The young man couldn't fully explain the sudden wave of disappointment washing over him. Part of him had hope that somehow his father had survived the accident, no matter how unlikely that seemed. "Your father... I saw the two of you at the flower shop earlier today. You also went to the accident site to pas your respects, didn't you?"

Akito Ogiwara nodded. "He has been coming here every year, ever since it happened. Of late, I have been accompanying him."

"Do you want to come inside and have a seat," Duo, who was still holding the door, suggested with a gesture toward the couch.

The young man shook his head. "I need to leave soon; he will be back shortly."

"Your father doesn't know you are here?" A slight frown narrowed Heero's eyes.

Another shake of the head. "I didn't tell him...yet. I needed to be sure first."

The frown turned deeper. "Sure about what?"

"My memories of my uncle Hiroshi have started to fade, I was only three or four years old went he left. But there have always been pictures of him around the house. And when I saw you this morning it was like I was looking at a picture of him when he was young. You said Hiroshi was your father. But how can this be?"

Heero hesitated. He didn't know how much Akito had been told about his uncle by his family and he was not sure if his was his place to reveal things they didn't. But in the end he said. "When Hiroshi studied in America he met my mother. Later he returned when he learned she was pregnant..."

"I know that. What I mean is... How can it be that you are alive when we were told that Hiroshi's son Hiro died. My father brought their ashes with him back to Japan."

With a sigh Heero gave a helpless shrug. "I wish someone would explain that to me, too."

This time it was Akito who frowned. "I am sorry...I don't understand."

_Neither do I, I am afraid,_ the young man thought, but aloud he said. "What I mean is, I don't know the answer to that either. I just know that Joyce and Hiroshi were my parents. And I fully intend to proof that, somehow."

It looked like Akito was about to reply something. But then his head turned, his gaze went toward the window in the hotel corridor. "I have to go. My father has come back," he announced.

"Wait." Heero jumped out of his chair as the young man turned to leave. "I need to talk to him."

Akito held his step briefly. "Let me talk to him first. I will call you, I promise."

Heero nodded. What else could he do.

As the young man disappeared into the elevator Duo closed the door to their room and looked back at his lover. "Your father's brother's son. That would make him your cousin, wouldn't it?"

Dropping back into his chair, the other youth frowned slightly. "You know, I have never thought about that. ...extended family I mean. After J died I had resigned myself to the fact that I was alone. Then after learning about my mother and father and that they were dead too, I just figured that was it. But of course there is more to a family than just parents and children. There are aunts and uncles, cousins and nieces and nephews; people that are related to you in one way or another..."

From the look on his face Duo could tell that his friend wasn't sure how to feel about that. The young man put on a grin as he strolled over to the armchair were Heero was sitting.

"True, but I don't think your whole, nutty family is anything you should be worry about now." He slapped his lover on the shoulder. "Go, take that shower you wanted to take. And then try to get some shut eye. You got circles under your eyes, no wonder people think you are dead."

Somehow Heero managed to return the grin. "Thanks, you really know how to give compliments"

"So I have been told." Duo smirked.

The other youth gave a semi-amused huff as he pushed himself out off the chair again. "Fine, I'll jump in the shower before you tell me I am smelling like a zombie, too. But do me a favor and stay by the phone, just in case he calls."

"You got it."

###

"This better be one hell of an emergency," a deep, slightly hoarse voice grumbled into Sheriff Perkin's ear. He had been on the way back to the office when Doc Fletcher had called him. Somehow O'Brian must have managed to get a hold of the old country doctor.

He had pulled over to the side of the road, figuring it was bad form for the sheriff to be seen breaking the law by talking on the phone while driving.

"Are you on your way home, Doc?"

"Like hell I am," the old man grumbled. "Give me one good reason why I should be. You know, you probably cost me the catch of the day; a huge catfish had been nibbling all morning on my lure. It was only a matter of time..."

"Doc," Perkins interrupted the man before he could go into a hour-long lecture about fly fishing. "I wouldn't have contacted you if it wasn't important."

"Alright then, what's the emergency. And this better not be some ingrown toenail or case of athlete's foot you want me to treat."

"How does someone coming back from the dead sound?"

"What? Did you put a bit too much rum in your morning coffee or something?"

The sheriff snorted in a mixture of amusement and sarcasm. "Not everyone lives by the believe that any drinkable liquid should be infused with alcohol, Doc. I assume you still remember the Ogiwara boy?"

There was a brief pause and when Doc Fletcher spoke again his voice had changed from a grumble to a growl.

"Of course I remember. How senile do you think I am? I also remember him being stable by the time I allowed those paramedics to take him away. If I had knows that they would mess things up and let the little guy die..."

"Doc! Maybe they didn't...let him die I mean. You see, I had a visitor this morning. He calls himself Heero Yuy but he claims to be the Ogiwara boy." Perkins quickly told the old man about his visitors. There was another moment of silence after he had finished, and for an instant he almost thought he as lost his connection.

"Doc, you still there?"

"I am here," the old man confirmed. "But I am not sure what you want from me."

"I want you to look at the security tape and tell me what you think." He had installed a surveillance camera in his office a couple years earlier after a guy he had arrested for drunk driving claimed to have been beaten by the sheriff and his deputy. It had proven useful a few times since. "Is it possible the kid survived?"

"You can't be serious, Bill. How long has it been, 15 years. I wouldn't recognize my own brother if I hadn't seen him for 15 years."

"It's been 14 years actually."

"Oh really? Well, that makes all the difference." Doc's voice was dripping with sarcasm now.

"Come on Doc, I know you want to know. You haven't put this behind you any more than I have."

It was the truth. For nearly a decade and a half it had been eating at the doctor, making him question himself and wondering if he had missed something or if there was anything he could have done to safe the boy.

"Fine," the old man finally growled. "I will have Jim start up that old rust bucket he calls a plane. And if he can keep it from falling out of the sky we should be in town in about two hours. Have that good-for-nothing deputy of yours pick me up at the airfield."

"Thanks Doc."

"Yeah yeah."

The sheriff slowly put his phone back into the pocket, pausing a brief moment before starting the jeep again. _If this guy is more than just some lunatic trying to build a false identity, this might actually give me the reason I need to reopen that case._

###

The buzzing in the pocket of his jeans woke Duo. Beside him his lover was sound asleep. With a yawn the young man carefully untangled himself from Heero and reached for his phone. He instantly recognized the number on the screen.

"Hey Quatre, how is it going?"

"Hey there, why are you whispering?"

Duo pushed away the blanket and swung his feet over the side of the bed. "Heero is sleeping," he explained still in a hushed voice as he rose to his feet and headed across the room.

"Sleeping? Its only 7:30 here. That should make it early afternoon where you are. Do I even want to know what you guys have been doing?"

The sliding door to the balcony stood open. Duo stepped outside, pulling the door close behind himself. "Not what you are thinking, so get your head out of the gutter. Heero hasn't been sleeping well the past few days, so I finally got him to get some rest," he explained as he settled down in one of the brown and yellow striped patio chairs.

"So, where are you now anyway? Did you make it to Nevada?" Quatre wanted to know. The last time they had talked had been right after their visit with sister Ruth.

"We did," Duo confirmed. "In fact we went to the place where the accident happened this morning. And guess what. Heero found out that he is actually dead."

"Dead?" The other youth echoed.

"Yep." Duo told him everything that had happened since their arrival at Cloverfield, including their surprise visit by Akito Ogiwara."He called back about half an hour later. We are going to have dinner with him and his father later tonight. I think Heero should go by himself but he insists that I come along. I don't know, this is his family. I am just..."

"Listen Duo, you are not just anything to Heero. You are more than family to him and he needs you. Otherwise he wouldn't have asked to be there," Quatre told him. "But I am pretty sure you knew that already without me saying that."

Duo gave a sound somewhere between a huff and a acknowledging grunt. "Yeah, you are probably right. But anyway, what are you up to?"

"Right now, I'm at my sister Iria's house. It's her husband's birthday; she is having a little family get together. Tonight I'm going back home and tomorrow its back to school."

"Did you talk to Trowa since you left; is he back yet?"

"Actually he is sitting right here beside me. Iria invited him too, so he flew in this afternoon. He said he didn't want to appear impolite by declining the invitation. But if you ask me, he just missed me."

In the background Duo could hear somewhat laugh.

"What did he say?"

"Like a hole in the head, he claims." Quatre chuckled.

"Well, you wouldn't expect him to admit it, would you "

"I can hear you Maxwell, you are on speaker phone." Trowa replied, laud enough this time that Duo could understand him. Then another voice joint in, female from what he could tell.

"Who was that?"

"My sister. Dinner is about to be served." Quatre explained. "Talk to you guys later. Good luck, and if there is anything I can do...anything at all, you know I am just a phone call away, right?"

"Thanks man, it's good to know. Treize said the same thing, when we talked to him last night. Enjoy your dinner."

##

The faint buzzing sound made its way into Heero's brain without fully waking him. He could feel Duo move and climb out of bed, but he couldn't bring himself to care enough to actually check why.

_Within moments he had drifted back into deep, dreamless sleep, until he found himself suddenly sitting outside in some kind of wicker chair. It was evening, the first stars were starting to show in the sky and the chill of a cloudless desert night was filling the air. He could hear the sounds of crickets and some lone dog barking in the distance. _

_Across from him, sitting on a kind of love seat were his parents. Both of them looked anxious, and his father had wrapped his arm around Joyce as if to comfort her and also protect her from the chill in the air. _

_"It's up to you." He heard himself say. "I am not going to tell you what to do." As he leaned over the low table to put out his cigarette in a cheap looking ashtray, he could see his reflection in the glass surface. _

_A man in his early to mid-thirties, clean shaven with dark neatly cropped hair. He was wearing no jacket, allowing a good view of the shoulder holster and the gun he was carrying._

_Odin Lowe, he assumed. Heero had never seen the private detective before, but it was the only thing that made sense. _

_"I think we should leave tonight." Hiroshi looked at his wife. _

_"I don't know. This place isn't half bad maybe we should stay a few more days and think things over."_

_"What's there to think over? He found us where we lived, he found out where I worked and our phone number; how long do you think it will take before he finds us here?"_

_The young woman sighed. "You are right I guess."_

_"Joyce, your father offered to help us. Is there any reason why we shouldn't accept? Do you not trust him?"_

_"No, that's not it. I'm sure my father's offer is sincere. And he is not without influence..."_

_"...or money," the P.I. added. _

_"Then let's not waste time by staying here." Hiroshi turned toward Lowe. "You said you will accompany us?"_

_The detective nodded. "That's what I am being paid for. When can you be ready to leave?"_

_"You are leaving, Daddy?" A little voice somewhere to his right asked. When he turned his head he noticed a young boy with tousled brown hair standing by the patio door. He was wearing only a pair of blue and red pajamas. _

_"Hiro, what are you doing up? Its late. You are supposed to sleep."_

_"Are you going back to Japan?"_

_"Of course not."_

_"But uncle Keiji said..."_

_"Uncle Keiji is wrong. Come here." Hiroshi moved to the left and patted the seat between him and his wife._

_With the pitta- patta of little bare feet, the boy ran to his parents and climbed into the chair. _

_"Listen to me Hiro, I am not going anywhere without you and your mom, I promise," his father assured him with a soft smile. "But how would you like to go see your grandpa?"_

_"My grandpa?" He asked, the excitement in his voice hard to miss. _

_"But only if you go back to sleep now." His mother pulled him into his arms. "Come on I'll tuck you in again."_

_"But I am thirsty," he complained. _

_"Fine, you can have something to drink. But then it's back to bed."_

_As Joyce carried their son off, Lowe turned toward his father. "I know this is really none of my business, but would it really be so terrible to move back to Japan and raise your family there? From what I hear the school system there is far better than ours." _

_"You don't understand. My father would never accept my wife. If I was going to go back home he would force me to marry the woman he picked for me. There has been a arrangement between my family and hers since we were children."_

_"Arranged marriage, isn't that a bit outdated?"_

_Hiroshi shrugged. "My western standard, probably. But to tell the truth for the longest time I never even questioned it. It was the way it was done in my family. My grandfather married a woman he never even met before his wedding day and my father barely knew my mother either. They certainly weren't in love when they married. That came later my mother always insists. Love and respect grew over the years. But once I came here I started to see things with different eyes. My family and my duties as the first born son became less important to me than happiness, especially after I met Joyce. And once Hiro was born..." He left the rest of the sentence hanging in the air. _

_"How about growing a spine, confronting the old man and telling him you are not coming back."_

_Hiroshi laughed but it was not a amused sound. "You obviously have never met my father. He is not the kind of person you just say no to. He wants what he wants and he has the money and the power to get it. He sent my brother to convince me to come home, after cutting off his financial support didn't work. Next he will send someone else, someone who might not be above hurting Joyce if she gets in the way or taking Hiro to force me to return. And before I let that happen..."_

_"No worry," he heard himself/ Odin Lowe say. "That's what I am here for."_ Then the dream faded as he was woken by the sounds of the sliding patio door opening and closing again. Moments later the mattress beneath him shifted under someone's weight. Duo was climbing back into bed.

"Where did you go?"

"You are awake!"

Heero yawned and slowly opened his eyes. "I know. But that doesn't answer my question."

"Quatre called. I didn't want to wake you," his lover explained as he scooped closer. "What's with the big smile?"

"I had a dream."

"Oooooh?" Duo's knowing grin made the other youth snort.

"Not that kind of dream. I dreamed about my parents."

"Oh!"

"Maybe it was more of a vision than a dream. I saw things through Odin Lowe's eyes I think. Is it possible he can do this to me even over such a distance?"

"I'm the wrong person to asked," Duo shrugged. "Maybe Quatre can tell you. But he was just sitting down for dinner. Which reminds me. We probably should get ready for dinner."

"Get ready?"

"You are not planning to meet your uncle in dirty jeans and a shirt you slept in. You know what they say about first impressions, right?"

"Actually, I think I have met him before."

"If you are talking about this morning outside the flower shop, I don't think you can consider that a meeting."

"No, I mean when I was little." Heero rolled onto his back, crossing his arms behind his head.

Duo gave his friend a questioning look. "Did I miss something?"

"In my dream I am saying something about my uncle Keiji."

"Wait, I thought you said it was Odin Lowe's dream."

"No, I said I saw things through Odin Lowe's eyes," his lover corrected. "And at one point I saw myself as a little boy..." He quickly gave Duo a detailed account of his vision.

Beside him, his friend gave a quiet whistle. "So, if I got this right it seems like your parents were running from your father's father. Sounds like the man was some piece of work. You know, it's times like this when not having any family doesn't seem so bad. "

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 23**

"I don't know." Doc Fletcher shook his head and shrugged. He had been looking at the surveillance tape from the sheriff's office for a good 15 minutes. As far as he was concerned, the young man in the video could be who he claimed to be, or he could be the crown prince of Japan, for all he knew. "I told you already, it's been too long. I barely can remember details of that night, and a child's face changes a lot over the years."

"Come, on Doc. Are you sure there isn't something; some birthmark anything that stands out?" The sheriff asked. "What about that scar on his arm? Did you see that? Could be from the accident, couldn't it?"

"It could," the doctor admitted. "But he could also have punched a window or try to cut his wrist when he grew up. How should I know? Besides, you were there at the scene too, what do you think?"

"I don't know. I never got a very good look, you see. Because someone kept barking out orders like a drill sergeant and telling everyone who didn't know what they were doing to stand back," Perkins accused.

"I was trying to save lives," the doc replied defensively.

"I was trying to help," the other man snapped back.

"Umm..." Deputy O'Brien cleared his throat, unsure if it was wise to intervene right now.

"What?" the two older men turned toward him in unison.

"What if it IS him, but not really HIM?"

Perkin's eyes narrowed in confusion. "You are making no sense."

"I suppose what I am trying to say is...What about a clone?"

"A what?" Doc Fletcher stared at the deputy, trying to figure out if he was joking. But the young man looked as serious as a heart attack.

"A clone, Doc. You know when they take cells from someone and make a whole new being out of it."

The sheriff just shook his head in disbelieve. "What ARE YOU talking about?"

"He said his grandfather was a famous scientist, right? And he said he worked for some secret NASA project at one point. Couldn't it be possible that he after losing his daughter and his grandson he just made himself a new one?"

"O'Brian, trust me, the government is not operating some secret cloning facility. You have got to stop reading those science fiction books."

"But cloning works. It's not science fiction anymore, Sheriff. They have done it with sheep."

"Does that kid look like a sheep to you?" The doc barked. "Although I do admit, his hair looks like he would benefit from a good shearing."

O'Brien shrugged. "I am just saying..."

###

"Back again?" The middle-aged woman with the full reddish-brown hair who doubled at waitress and hostess at _Pat's Claim Jumper_ looked like she could be anyone's mother. Giving the two young men a friendly smile and a wink she grabbed two menus from the stack by the cash register. "Told you you would be, didn't I?"

"You sure did." Duo confirmed as he returned her smile. And the food really had been good enough to warrant another visit.

"Oh, before I forget it, could you give this to whoever came out to the hotel to bring me my phone?" Heero asked, as he handed her a small bundle of rolled up bills.

"That's really not necessary."

"But it is," he insisted.

"Well then..." She shrugged. "So, what will it be, a table or the bar?"

"Actually," the young man explained. "We are supposed to meet someone here; the name is Ogiwara."

"Ah yes, Mister Ogiwara is already here. He asked for some privacy, so I prepared a table for him and his party in the second dining room. This way!"

She gestured for them to follow and let the way through the restaurant and a wide door into another room with about a dozen or so tables and a small stage at the opposite wall.

Akito and his father were sitting at a table by the window, apparently locked in a heated debate. But when Heero and Duo entered the room they dropped their conversation, and both men rose to their feet.

After putting their menus down on the table, the waitress retreated back into the main restaurant, closing the door behind herself and giving her guests the privacy they had requested.

"Yuy-san, Maxwell-san this is my father, Keiji Ogiwara." Akito introduced politely. "Dad, meet Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell."

As they exchanged handshakes Heero once again noticed how much Keiji resembled the photos he had seen of his father. But of course, considering they were brothers it wasn't really that unusual.

The firm gaze with which Keiji regarded his nephew was almost as icy as the edge in his voice when he finally spoke. "You are the one claiming to be my brother's son? If this is some kind of scam...some attempt to get your hands on Hiroshi's part of the family fortune, you best reconsider while you still have a chance."

Heero's jaws tightened. He could feel Duo's hand on his back, reminding him to stay calm, and he took a deep breath before he replied. "I am not here to make any kind of claims, Sir. I am quite certain Hiroshi Ogiwara was my father. Yes, I realize it might be difficult to proof right now. But I have every intention of doing so. And as for the Ogiwara family fortune you're so worried about...I would tell you what to do with it, but my grandfather raised me too well to do so."

A flash of anger crossed Akito's face and for a moment it looked like he was going to jump in to defend his father or his family honor, but the older Ogiwara stopped him.

Heero blinked. Was that a hint of a smile on his 'uncle's' lips?

"Maybe you really are who you say you are. You certainly seem to have Hiroshi's spirit. And I do remember that same look on his face every time he went into another argument with our father. The fact that he couldn't win against the old man never stopped him from trying. Let's sit down and talk, that's what we came here for, isn't it?"

"Actually," Duo raised his hand like a little school kid. "I came here to eat."

Keiji Ogiwara looked at the young man directly for the first time. "Yes, I suppose we should not forget about that either, an empty stomach makes a bad negotiator." He said something to his son in Japanese to which Akito nodded and rose to his feet. The young man left the room to return a few minutes later with the waitress, leaving Heero and Duo just enough time to skim over the menu.

##

A awkward silence fell over the group as they waited for their food. Heero took a sip from his iced tea before finally clearing his throat and looking up.

"I suppose I should apologize for what I said earlier. I can't really blame you for reacting the way you did. From what I have learned today everyone seems to believe that I too had died after the accident."

"Indeed," his uncle agreed. "Not only did I receive a copy of your death certificate along with my brother's, but also your remains, or at least what were supposed to be your remains. How do you explain..."

"I wish I could." Heero sighed. "Other than perhaps a mix up at the hospital. It's happened before, hasn't it? I mean babies are being sent home with the wrong people and stuff like that. With all that's going on in an emergency room when multiple people are being brought in I can see..."

"Actually," Duo pointed out. "I heard about something like that on the news not too long ago. Two teenage girls in the same car when it got into an accident, one died the other critically injured. Somehow their IDs got mixed up and not even their own families realized it until weeks later. Bruises, swelling and bandages...probably makes it hard to recognize anyone."

The expression on the elder Ogiwara's face showed clearly that he wasn't fully convinced. But Heero nodded.

"It's a possibility, isn't it? Maybe there was a child in the other car as well."

Keiji frowned as he exchanged a quick gaze with his son. "What other car?"

Heero's expression mirrored that of his uncle. "The second car involved in the accident of course." Now that he thought about it, the sheriff hadn't mentioned anything about that second vehicle.

Keiji Origawa shook his head. "You must be mistaken. It was a single car accident. From what we were told Hiroshi was speeding, lost control and crashed..."

"No, I am afraid you are the one mistaken. I was there. And although I still don't remember everything about that night..." _or my life before it._ "I know that my father was forced off the road when he tried to avoid that car that was directly coming toward us." Heero looked at his uncle, trying to read his face.

"You don't believe me, do you?" he concluded after a few moments.

But to his surprise Keiji shook his head. "No, I actually do. It makes more sense than the idea of my brother crashing his car for no reason," he replied, and at Duo and Heero's puzzled looked added. "If there was anything in this world Hiroshi knew how to do. it was driving."

"Back in Japan Uncle Hiroshi used to race... first motorcycles and later cars," Akito explained. "He was also a very good mechanic from what I have been told and made always sure that his cars were in top shape. I don't remember very much about him, but I can recall how he always seemed to be working on one of them."

Duo gave an amused sound, somewhere between a laugh and a snort, earning himself a confused look from the young man.

"Did I say something funny? I know my English is not perfect..."

"Your English is great," Duo assured him. "But you should ask your cousin some day about his hobbies."

"I have a few cars hat I like to fix up," Heero explained modestly.

"And if he says a few he means a garage full, the size of a Tokyo subway station."

"Until now I always thought it was my grandfather got me into it... "

"Sounds to me like you really are your father's son," Duo grinned.

Heero's reply to his lover's comment was cut short when the waitress returned with their orders. She was rolling the food in on some sort of serving trolley so that she didn't have to go twice.

"Enjoy!" She smiled when everyone had their plate in front of him. "And let me know if you need anything else."

Keiji Origawa gave a polite nod. "Thank you." He waited until they were alone again before he turned toward his nephew. "I assume you told the sheriff about that second car?"

"Umm... No, not really," the young man admitted. I didn't see any reason to tell him what I assumed he should have known about."

"If he did know about it, I wonder why he never mentioned it to us?"

"Seems to me like there is a lot more going on under the surface." Duo concluded seriously.

Keiji nodded. "Knowing that we weren't told that part of the story, makes me wonder what else has been kept from us."

"The sheriff promised me the accident report by tomorrow. So, why don't we wait and see what it says before we start forming any conspiracy theories." Heero suggested.

"Agreed," his uncle gave another nod. "Let's try to enjoy our dinner while it is still hot."

Everyone seemed to agree with that, and for the next few minutes the only noises in the room where the sound of silverware clanging against china.

Once again it was Heero who broke the silence, after taking another sip from his glass of iced tea.

"I don't know if you are still thinking that I am only an impostor, but with your help I might be able to proof - or disproof if that's what you want to believe - that Hiroshi was my father."

A guarded expression crossed Keiji's face. "What kind of help?"

"I would like to do a DNA test. I already did **one** test that confirmed my maternal bloodline, but to establish if Hiroshi was my father I would need a DNA sample from him -which I understand is impossible since he was cremated - or a close relative of his... for example his brother."

There was a long moment of hesitation before the older man finally nodded. "Where can such a test be done?"

"I know someone at the FBI who could do it faster than anyone else, but I would understand if you would prefer an independent laboratory. I could check tonight where the nearest one is located."

"Either option would be fine with me. I'll leave the decision to you."

###

"Did you see the look on his face when you told him about that second car?" Duo plopped down on his bed without even taking off his shoes.

The two young men had walked back into their hotel room only moments earlier.

Heero shrugged. "Surprise you mean? Or maybe suspicion because he still doesn't completely trust me?"

"No," his lover rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow. "I mean relief. There was a moment of surprise but then he looked genuinely relieved like some burden had been lifted off his shoulder."

"What are you; an expert in facial expressions?" There was a hint of sarcasm in Heero's voice.

"Hey, I know people always complain that I talk too much. But that's not the only thing I do. I also listen and observe. You know they say that guilt and relief are often linked. "

"What, now you are a psychologist too?" The young man grabbed a bottle of water from the tiny fridge before dropping into one of the overstuffed chairs.

"You know, they say even criminals who have been carrying their guilt around for a long time often feel relieved when they finally confess."

"Either the sun has fried my brain or you are actually suggesting Keiji Origawa had something to do with his brother's death."

"Just saying, alright. But think about it. He was sent to find his brother and convince him to come home. Hiroshi leaves a pretty clear message that that wasn't going to happen when he packs up his family and disappears. Koiji tracks him to this town... Maybe he just wanted to stop him from running off again."

"I guess I was wrong. The sun didn't fry **my** brain, it fried **yours**." Heero managed to keep a sarcastic tone in his voice, but if he was honest to himself he had to admit that his lover's suggestion left a very unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach." Putting the still unopened bottle of water down on the little table, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket with the other hand.

"What are you doing?"

"I am calling the sheriff to ask him how much he knows about that second car and why he would have never mentioned it to the Origawa family."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 24**

"Sorry to make you tag along again. I am sure you had better plans for the evening," Heero apologized, driving down the nearly deserted main street. The sun was just setting and streets and porch-lights were slowly flickering to life all over town.

Beside him in the passenger seat, his lover gave a snort that sounded half amused and half sarcastic. "Sure, I was going to count the stripes on the curtains in our hotel room. We might be in Nevada, but in case you haven't noticed, this place isn't exactly Vegas when it comes to nightlife and entertainment. Besides, I am more than a little curious what got the good sheriff all excited when you mentioned that second car."

"Well," the other young man pointed out thoughtfully. "I wouldn't exactly call it 'excited'. "

::: Flashback start :::

_"Sheriff? You still there?" Heero asked after a good minute or so of silence on the other end of the line. It seemed as though his question about the make and model of the second car involved in the accident had rendered the other man speechless. _

_"I am here." Perkins finally confirmed. And then after another short pause he added: "Can you meet me, Mister Yuy, at the sheriff's station?"_

_"Umm... Sure. I thought we had an appointment tomorrow anyway."_

_"No, I mean now...let's say in half an hour."_

_"Yeah, no problem. We will be there." Heero nodded. "See you then."_

::: Flashback End :::

"Still, if he thinks that this can't wait until tomorrow that's what I consider getting excited," Duo pointed out, and his friend had to admit that he was right.

They found their way back to the sheriff's station easily. A couple of cars were parked on the dusty blacktop in front, and a few windows in the back of the building, presumably Perkins' office, were lit.

Heero pulled up beside the sheriffs jeep, killed the engine but made no effort to climb out of the car. His lover, who had already taken off his seat belt, gave him a questioning look.

"You okay?"

"Have you ever wanted to know something but at the same time dreaded that knowledge?" The young man replied quietly.

Duo didn't have to ask what he was talking about. Knowing how your parents died was one thing but learning all the bloody details about it... "Would you prefer if I read the accident report and tell you only what you need to know?"

Heero hesitated for a long moment. The offer was tempting. But finally he shook his head. "Thanks, but I don't think I can really be sure what I need to know until I see it."

With an understanding not Duo swung open the passenger door. "Well, let's go then!"

##

The sheriff was waiting for them, but he wasn't alone in his office. With him was a man in his mid to late sixties with short cropped, gray hair and alert eyes that didn't seem to miss anything. Perkins introduced him as Doc Fletcher.

Heero exchanged a quick gaze with his lover. _A doctor? What's he doing here?_

"Doc here was one of the first to arrive at the scene after the accident," the sheriff explained as though he reading the young man's mind. He gestured across his desk toward two chairs in an unspoken invitation for his guests to sit down. "Back then he was the only physician in town."

_Which probably meant there wasn't an ER here either, and paramedics had to travel a distance, leaving first aid in the hands of whoever was nearest to an emergency_, Heero realized. "Then you must be the one who took care of my family and saved my life that night."

"I did what I could," the old man replied with an dismissive gesture, paused briefly and then added; "But sometimes it just isn't enough."

"In any case I am grateful," Heero told him. "More than I could ever express." With a nod in the old doctor's direction he took a seat next to Duo who already had settled down.

"I probably should be going, it's getting late. Your sight is the first thing that fails when you get older, they say. And that doesn't make driving after dark any easier."

"Wait, Doctor," the young man urged. "I was hoping to ask you some questions... If that would be alright with you."

The old man hesitated. "Maybe some other day, Kid." he finally replied. "Sheriff Perkins here knows how to reach me."

Heero gave an understanding nod. _He doesn't quite believe my story either_, he realized with a hint of frustration. Nevertheless he replied. "Thank you, I really appreciate that."

Sheriff Perkins excused himself to show the doctor outside, but he stayed longer than it should have taken him to just walk the old man to his car and return.

"What do you think?" Duo wanted to know.

"I don't know. Seems like everyone here is skeptical, but somehow I really can't say I can blame them."

"Maybe it would help to figure out why and how you supposedly died, if in fact you are alive and kicking..." The braided young man mused.

"I agree..."

"Agree with what?" Sheriff Perkins returned at just that moment. "Sorry to make you wait."

"No problem at all," Heero assured him. "But will he be alright...driving home alone in the dark I mean?"

"Doc you mean?" The sheriff snorted as he walked around the desk and slipped into his large leather chair. "He always complains about getting old. But if you ask me, there is nothing wrong with his vision. He can still shoot a flea between the eyes if he wants to. However..." The tall man leaned back, folding his hands in front of his belly. "He is right about one thing. It is getting late. Let's get to the point, shall we?"

Heero nodded. "Agreed."

"I am most curious about who told you anything about any other vehicles being involved in that accident?"

"Nobody," the young man replied calmly. "It's something I remember."

"You remember?" echoed the sheriff.

"That's right," Heero confirmed. "I remember a car coming toward us and my father trying to avoid it just before he lost control. Are you telling me this is the first time you are hearing about this? My father's brother mentioned earlier today that he and his family had been told that the accident was a one car collision."

"We only found one damaged car at the scene when we arrived. You have to remember where and when this happened. The closest thing to an eye witness we had was the guy who called in the accident, a PI named..."

"Odin Lowe."

"You know him?"

"Yes, kind of," the young man confirmed. "He worked for my family."

"Yes, that's what he claimed. According to what he told me he didn't see the accident happen, but arrived at the scene shortly thereafter. He also mentioned that a car passed him moments after he believed he heard the crash. However..."

"However?" Heero frowned.

"He disappeared without ever giving a full report or even signing a statement. I only got a chance to talk to him for a few minutes. When you and your father were taken to the hospital he insisted on riding along. The air rescue chopper couldn't take him so he ended up driving. I told him I wanted him to return and sign a statement for the accident report, but I never saw him again," Perkins explained. "After I found out that he had left the hospital I even had my deputy call his office in California a few times and leave some messages, but he never returned my calls. In any case, without any reliable eyewitness statements we had to call things how we saw them and declare the incident a one car crash." The sheriff gave a helpless shrug. "He seemed like a decent enough fellow when I spoke to him, but in my experience, if someone doesn't want to talk to the police it's usually because that person has something to hide."

"I take it then you don't know..."

"Know what?"

"Odin Lowe is dead. He died only a week or so later," Heero explained. "Ironically in an car accident as well."

"Get out of here?" Perkins exclaimed surprised.

"It's true," the young man confirmed. "He took me to my grandfather's house after I was released from the hospital, and on the way back crashed his car only a few miles outside of town."

"I will be damned, I never even considered..." Leaving the rest of the sentence hanging in the air the sheriff scratched his head. "But that would explain why the certified letter I sent a month or so later to the address he gave me came back as undeliverable."

"You went through a lot of trouble trying to get in touch with the man," Duo mused as he studied the older man firmly. "Phone calls, certified letters...even though the case must have been pretty much closed by then. No one puts that much time or effort into a simple one-car-crash. Why do I have the feeling you are still not telling us everything?" he wanted to know.

There was a long moment of hesitation before Perkins finally answered. "When we were processing the accident scene we found an extra set of tire tracks that didn't belong to your family's car, the PI"s Buick or any of the emergency vehicles. And we picked up some pieces of what looked like a broken headlight," he told the two young men. "But of course," he added before either of them could say anything. "That doesn't have to mean anything. There is no saying when those tracks were left. Someone could have hit a deer and didn't bother to report it. And of course the kids here in town are no different from any teenager anywhere else. They like to drive fast. And sometimes they will race each other out there on that deserted stretch of road."

"Those tire marks wouldn't happen to be from a sports car, would they?" Heero asked.

"Why?"

"Because I am pretty sure the car that forced us off the road was a sports car."

"What makes you think that?" the sheriff frowned.

The young man shrugged. "Just something I remember."

"Hmm... according to what you told me yourself you have little to no memories for your life before the accident, and until recently you didn't remember the crash either. But you conveniently recall such detail." Perkin's voice sounded skeptic. "Not to mention that you were just a little kid."

"But I am not a little kid anymore," Heero pointed out. "And I know a thing or two about cars. From what I remember seeing in that moment before the crash, from the position of the headlights I am quite certain it was a low car, nothing big or bulky. And then I think I saw a flash of red passing by, but that's not something I would bet my life on. I am right, aren't I?"

The sheriff nodded. "Yes, the tracks came from a brand if tires used exclusively on European sports cars," he confirmed.

"What about the headlight pieces," Duo asked. "Did you have them tested? They can tell the make and model of a car from the glass, don't they?"

"These days, probably. I am not sure if they could have done it back then. But it wouldn't have mattered anyway. I couldn't have warranted the cost of such tests without any other evidence or at least..."

"...an eyewitness statement," Duo completed the sentence with an understanding nod. "I get it. But what about now? I mean, does the evidence still exists? You have a witness now and a statement..."

"If money is an issue, I'll gladly pay for any tests necessary." Heero offered quickly, but the sheriff just shook his head.

"Sorry, but that's not the way it works, Mister Yuy. However your friend is right, I should be able to reopen the investigation provided that..."

"Yes?"

"We can proof that you...or more precise Heero Ogiwara, is not really dead."

"Yes, that's something Duo and I was talking about a earlier too. I think we need to talk to the doctor who signed my death certificate. What was his name anyway?"

"Um..." Perkins checked something on a piece of paper on the desk in front of him, apparently the death certificate in question, and looked up again. "The name is Dr. Shinichi Maeda, if I am pronouncing that correctly. And I am already a step ahead of you. I tried to contact him earlier today after talking to you. But apparently he isn't working at the clinic in Mesquite anymore. He was doing his residency at the ER there between 85 and 90. But nobody knows what became of him afterward. Apparently he was one of those people no one ever remembers after they are gone. "

"That name, it sounds Japanese." Duo remarked.

"That's right. He was called in in case a translator was needed. Apparently he was the only one at the hospital at the time who spoke the language."

"Maybe he went back to Japan after his residency?"

The sheriff shrugged. "It's possible. But he could be anywhere, really. I called the medical board to see if they had any information."

"No luck?" Heero wanted to know.

"They were closed by the time I called. I left a message, so hopefully they will get back to me soon."

"Do you mind if I do some inquiries on my own?"

Perkins hesitated for a moment but then gave another shrug. "I guess I can't stop you. Just keep me in the loop and don't do anything that might compromise the investigation."

"Thanks. I won't." The young man assured him.

###

When Duo pulled into the hotel parking lot someone was standing near the entrance smoking. The smoldering, red end of a cigarette was gleaming in the dark.

He had driven the jeep on the way back, allowing Heero to make a couple of phone calls, including one to his Attorney and a second one to Bill Saunders, the private detective from LA who had worked for him before.

As they climbed out of the car the figure in the shadows moved, revealing the slender features of Keiji Ogiwara. The man dropped his cigarette to the ground, smashing it with the tip of his black loafer, and Duo wondered if he had been waiting for them.

"Yuy-san?" Keiji spoke as they approached, and Heero held his step.

"Yes "

"I was wondering if we could have a word or two. "

"Umm...sure." Heero's gaze turned toward his lover who covered a fake yawn with his hand.

"Don't mind me going upstairs already. I think all this traveling is finally catching up with me."

Heero gave a little smile and a nod. "I'll see you in a bit."

#

"Should we walk a little?" Keiji suggested after the young man had taken his leave.

Heero nodded again. "Let me just get my jacket from the car."

The older man waited as he went to the jeep, grabbed a leather jacket from the back seat and slipped it on. In the dark of the cloudless Nevada night the temperature had started to drop rapidly after the sun went down.

"You spoke to the sheriff?"

"Yes," Heero confirmed as they crossed the parking lot and headed for the empty street. He had called his uncle earlier and told him about the pending meeting. "It was a rather interesting conversation". He briefly summarized what they had learned including the plan of talking to Shinichi Maede, if they could find him that was.

"Dr Maeda. I do remember him," Keiji nodded thoughtfully, and his eyes became distant for a moment, as so he was remembering something. "He stayed with my brother when he died and relayed Hiroshi's last words to the family. He seemed a very nice and honorable young man..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head slightly. "I cannot believe that he would have done anything fraudulent."

"You find it easier to believe that I am the fraud." Heero's tone was calm and very matter of fact.

The older man turned his head, avoiding Heero's eyes. "That's not what I meant. I would like nothing more than for my brothers son to still be alive. As I said earlier I feel like you are very much like him, but I cannot allow my feelings and wishes to cloud my judgment. That's why I think we should take care of this DNA test you suggested as soon as possible and proof whether or not you are indeed Hiroshi's son."

"I couldn't agree more. But you are leaving tomorrow, aren't you?" Heero asked and then, at his uncle's surprised look he added. "When I wanted to book one of the hotels suites I was told they were both occupied at the moment, but yours would be free by tomorrow afternoon."

Keiji Ogiwara nodded. "We had made plans to return to Japan tomorrow. But I could rebook the flight for the next day. Unfortunately, business arrangements require my presence in Tokyo on Friday so I can't stay any longer than that."

Heero nodded understandingly. "I will see if we can get things rolling before you have to leave."

"That would be excellent. Perhaps we should head back."

"Yeah, probably a good idea," Heero agreed. "But can I ask you something?"

"Please, go ahead." Keiji nodded as they turned back to the hotel.

"When I first mentioned that second car during dinner... My friend said you seemed surprised but also relieved."

"Of course I was relieved," the older man admitted surprisingly frank. "For the past fifteen years I had feared that I had chased my brother into his death; that I might have said something that upset him enough to lose his concentration while driving.  
The last time I saw Hiroshi we were arguing because he refused to return to Japan with me. I accused him of abandoning his family and his duties as the first born son, when in reality I was only angry because I felt as though he had abandoned me. All my live I had admired Hiroshi, looked up to him and he had protected me and stood up for me. I had hoped it would stay like that forever, but then one day he was gone and I was angry and jealous, when I should have been happy for him... I know that even if it turns out that someone else caused the accident it doesn't mean I am completely guiltless, but I think I would finally be able to forgive myself."

"Ogiwara -san, I think you are being too hard on yourself. I do remember not remember much about my father, but from what I do remember I am sure he had forgiven you long before he got behind the wheel that night.  
You know, my grandfather once told me 'If two people who care about one another can't have an argument every once in a while without forgiving each other, something is wrong with their relationship'".

There was a long moment of silence in which Keiji Ogiwara stared at the ground. When he finally looked up he cleared his throat.

"Thank you. Your grandfather appears to have been a wise man."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 25**

"Heading out for a little walk while it is still cool outside?" Megan, who was already behind her little reception desk, greeted him with a smile and a friendly nod. "Good morning."

Heero returned the gesture. "Good morning. Well, kind off. I figured I'd run to that coffee shop down on main street. The coffee here at the hotel is...just terrible. No offense."

"Non taken." She chuckled. "To be honest," she lowered her voice as if she was revealing some kind of secret, and winked. "I have always been suspecting some kind of conspiracy between our kitchen staff and Penny's Cafe to make all our guests go there. I mean really, is it even possible to cook coffee this bad without trying very hard?"

The young man laughed as he turned to leave. "I think you could be on to something." He almost reached the door when she called out to him.

"Oh, Mister Yuy, I almost forgot. This was in your mail-slot this morning."

She was holding up a small white envelope.

With a slight frown Heero walked back to the counter. "Who is it from?" he wanted to know.

The young woman shrugged. "It was here already when I started my shift this morning. I suppose the night clerk must have put it in. But there isn't an entry in the book; we usually make a note of every delivery for any of our guests."

"Okay, thanks." Still frowning the young man studied the envelope as he crossed the lobby again and walked out of the hotel. Someone had printed his name on the paper with that seemed to have been a felt tip marker but there was no stamp or return address. He turned the envelope over to check the back, but it was empty.

The sun was up already and with it the heat of the day had returned. It looked like it was going to be another scorcher.

Walking slowly down the street Heero pulled his car keys from his pocket and sliced open the top of the envelope. Inside was a letter, written with the same marker on a piece of yellow lined paper. His frown only deepened as his eyes flew over the short note. There was no signature or name; nothing indicating who might have sent him the message and why.

As he reached the coffee shop Heero carefully folded the piece of paper and slipped it into his pocket. He walked into the store, still lost in thought and didn't even notice the man sitting at one of the tables until he called out to him.

"Mister Yuy?"

He turned his head, slightly surprised, then recognized the old man. "Doctor... Fletcher was it, wasn't it?" he said as he stepped closer.

"That's right, but everyone here just calls me Doc. You are alone today?"

"My friend isn't as much of a morning person as I am, so I figured I would get some coffee while he is still asleep. Mind if I grab a cup and join you for a bit."

"Not at all, go ahead."

"Can I get you another one as well, Doctor?" Heero asked with a nod at the other man's half empty cup.

"No, no I am already on my second. That's more than enough for my old ticker."

Heero nodded understandingly. He walked over to the counter, bought a large cup of dark roast and went back to the table where Doc Fletcher was sitting.

"You know your way around town, right Doctor? So you probably can tell me where I can find a place called McGinty's," he asked as he settled down across from the old man.

"McGinty's pub?" Doc Fletcher scratched his head. "You can't, not anymore that is. The place closed down about ten years ago."

"Closed down?" Heero echoed.

"Yeah. 't was a bloody shame too. McGinty's was a fine Irish pub. Had been around since the town was founded. But with the mining company using all that new technology and so many people out of work back in the 90s, there weren't many left who could afford to go there. They hung on as long as they could. but finally sold the pub, and a few years later, after the economy picked up a bit, it was expanded and reopened as a family restaurant, The Claim Jumper."

"The mining company?" It was the second time Heero had heard that term. "What is it they are mining for?"

"Well, Emeralds of course." The doc told him. "Green emeralds; it's what put this town first on the map, you know. You see, back during the gold rush down in California a handful of families from Ireland threw together everything they owned, put up a wagon train and headed west like many others. But they never got there. Through a stroke of luck they discovered some emerald deposits here in the valley and took it as a sign from the good lord. People from the Emerald Isle finding emeralds, get it?"

"So they stayed on and founded this town?"

Doc Fletcher nodded. "Six families originally, the Kennedys, The O'Briens, the Flynns, the Murphys, the O'Reileys and the Kaenes. Each of them got their claim on the mine and it was decided that the profits would be divided equally. Soon others followed like Old McGinty who opened his pub in the quickly growing town, the Whealan's little department store became eventually the local supermarket and the Fletchers..."

"Your family?" Heero asked. He had been listening with interest while slowly sipping his coffee.

The old man nodded. "My great-great grandfather was the first and only doctor in the entire state for a long time," he declared not without a certain amount of pride.

"Sounds like an interesting bit of history. Do those six families still own the mines today?"

"Oh god, no. Only one person owns the mines now, Nolan Flynn."

"Nolan Flynn, I think I have heard that name before," the young man mused.

"You might either have seen the sign outside the local library or at the health clinic: he donated the money for their construction. Or maybe you've read about him in some society paper. He is one of the richest people in Nevada, you see..."

"I am afraid I don't read society papers. But anyway, what happened to the others; the other 5 families that owned the mines I mean?"

"Life, I guess." The old man shrugged. "A couple of them fell on hard times early on and sold their claims to the others. Actually it's said that Benneth O'Reiley lost his share in a poker game one night. They found the poor man dead in his barn the next morning. He hung himself they say, rather than facing his family and explaining what he had done. And when Cole Kennedy died in 1927 without any heirs to leave his estate to, the Flynn family acquired the last remaining claim on the mines as well. Things have changed a lot since the days our ancestors settled here, but one thing hasn't changed and never will. The people in this town live and die with the mines, and I am not only talking about those actually working there."

"Thanks, Doc. This was a very interesting story. I have a friend; well, he is my history teacher actually. He loves these kind of things. Living history is what he calls it."

"Well, well, if it isn't Mister Yuy and the good Doc. Never thought I would see you two here."

Sheriff Perkins was holding an extra large cup of coffee in one hand a bag with bagels in the other.

"What are you talking about, Ben? You know I am here every morning," Doc Fletcher grumbled.

"I guess what I mean is, I didn't expect to see the two of you together." Perkins set his breakfast down and pulled up an extra chair from the next table. "So, what are you guys up to? "

"I was just giving young Mister Yuy here a lesson in local history."

"Oh?"

"Yes, he wanted to know where McGinty's pub was, you see."

"McGinty's?" The sheriff echoed. He looked at the doc than at Heero. "What's so special about McGinty's?"

"I am not sure?" The young man shrugged as he pulled the note he had received, from his pocket and put it on the table. "Someone sent me this. Megan, the girl from the hotel said it was left in the mail-slot over night. But no one signed for it."

Perkins reached for the piece of paper, unfolding it slowly.

**"If you really want to know what happened, start by talking to the people who were at McGinty's that night." **

The sheriff raised one eyebrow then handed the letter off to the Doc.

"You recognize the handwriting?"

The old man pulled a pair of wire rimmed reading glasses from the breast pocket of his shirt and put them on. He studied the note for several minutes before shaking his head.

"Doesn't look familiar."

"It seems to be a woman's handwriting." Heero pointed out.

"Yes," the old doctor confirmed. "It has that feminine style to it doesn't it?" He looked once more down at the paper then at the sheriff. "Do you think it might be the same person who called in the accident?"

"Wait a moment," Heero's gaze moved between Perkins and the doc. "I thought Odin Lowe reported the accident."

"Technically there were two calls. Odin Lowe phoned the police, but at about the same time someone called me at home," Doc Fletcher explained. "It was a woman, a girl rather, but I didn't recognize the voice. She told me something terrible at happened at Raven's Cross,- that's what the locals call that stretch of road. When I started asking questions she hung up on me."

"So then there must have been at least one other witness," the young man mused.

"Nobody has ever come forward." Sheriff Perkins replied. "But this is it, I am officially reopening the case. And I'm going to start by talking to a few people." He reached for the note. "I hope you don't mind if I keep this."

Heero shook his head. "Not at all."

"Who do you want to talk to? The McGintys moved after selling the pub, and so did... What was her name, Eileen Makham's daughter, she worked there as a waitress, remember?"

"Shannon?"

"Yeah, that's it. Last I've heard she lives on the East Coast now."

"That might be. But there is someone who was at the pub that night, I'm pretty sure. Because he used to be there every night."

"Pat Malony?"

"Who is Pat Malony" Heero wanted to know.

"The local auto mechanic. He has his garage on the other side of town."

"And the local drunk," the doc added. "Or at least he used to be. He managed to pull himself together after his younger brother died of liver cancer. I suppose something like that can be a real good wakeup call."

"I want to go with you when you talk to him," Heero demanded.

"Out of the question."

"But...!"

"You have got to understand," Perkins sighed. "The people in this town are very cautious around outsiders. Look at me. I have lived here for almost twenty years now and some of the folks still refer to me as 'the new guy'. I might be able to get Pat to talk to me if I play my cards right. But I assure you he wouldn't give us the time of the day if we waltzed into his shop together."

"Alright. But be sure to keep me in the loop," the young man grunted. He couldn't say that he liked it, but he saw the logic behind the sheriff's words.

"You know, I had planned on talking to Pat anyway today," Perkins announced. "I spent most of the night going over old speeding tickets, you see. Very old speeding tickets. Turns out there was someone driving a red sports car around here back then. Care to wager a guess who it was, Doc?"

The old man shrugged. "Not much guess work involved if you ask me. I can really only think of one person who could afford a ride like that. Nolan Flynn."

"The guy who owns the emerald mines?"

"No, that would be Nolan Sr.," the doctor explained. "The one with the love for fast cars is his son, Nolan Jr. "

"You think he could be the one who drove my father off the road?"

"We will see if Pat remembers repairing any headlights the day or so after the accident," Sheriff Perkins replied somewhat evasively.

Heero frowned. "Isn't that something you should have investigated 15 years ago. It's a little late now, isn't it?"

"Back then I was told to wrap things up quickly and not waste any more taxpayer's money and man power on a case that was obviously nothing more than a terrible accident. But you showing up here and this anonymous letter put a whole new spin on things. Besides I received a call this morning from the Ogiwara family, Keiji Ogiwara to be precise. Apparently he found out about that alleged second car as well and is demanding a thorough investigation of his brother's dead."

"Oh, this reminds me," Heero told him. "If you need to get a hold of me call my cell phone, not the hotel. I will be out of town later this afternoon. Keiji Ogiwara and I will be flying to Reno. I found a independent laboratory able to do a DNA test within a couple of weeks and made an appointment for this afternoon before the Ogiwaras have to head back to Japan."

"A DNA test? That might come in handy, especially if we might not be able to track down that Dr Maeda guy."

"I take it then you haven't heard back from the medical board."

Sheriff Perkins shook his head. "Not yet."

Heero was about to ask another question when his cell phone started to ring.

"Excuse me." The young man got up and walked outside before taking the call. As far as he was concerned there were few things worse that answering your phone in a crowded room and forcing perfect strangers to listen to your private conversation.

"Hey."

"Where are you?" Duo's voice sounded like he had just woken up.

"Down at the coffee shop. Ran into the sheriff and Doc Fletcher. Want me to bring you something back?"

"No, give me ten minutes," his lover yawned. "I'll meet you there."

"Alright, I will have a cup of coffee and some bagels waiting for you."

"Thanks."

#

Slipping his phone into his pocket Heero walked back into the coffee shop. He stopped at the counter to put in Duo's order and get another cup for himself before he headed back to the table.

Sheriff Perkins was just about to leave and the Doc looked a little concerned.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Ben."

"Don't worry, I will be very diplomatic, Doc," Perkins assured him. "I **can** be diplomatic, you know."

He nodded at Heero, and the young man's eyes followed him as he left the shop.

"What was that all about?"

"It's a long story."

"I am not planning on going anywhere anytime soon." Heero put down the coffee and bagels, slipped back into his seat and looked at the old man expectantly.

"Alright, I guess I will take you up on your offer for another cup of coffee, after all. But make it a decaf. Do you mind getting it while I...?" He gestured with his head in the direction of the bathroom doors.

"Sure thing." Heero got up again. Taking their empty cups with him he went back to the counter and got the drink the doctor requested. A few minutes later the old man returned, at just about the same moment as Duo walked into the coffee shop. Heero waved his lover over to the table.

"Doctor, you remember my friend, Duo Maxwell?"

"I am old not senile, you know." Doc Fletcher nodded at the young man with braided hair.

Duo grinned as he settled down in the chair next to his lover. There was something about that doctor that was quite likable, in spite of all him grumbling and growling.

"Anyway," the doc continued. "You were asking me about the remark sheriff Perkins made earlier."

"Yes, what was he talking about," Heero nodded. He too had taking a liking to the grumpy old man.

"Like a said it's a long story; an old story. Soon after Perkins came to Cloverfield as the new sheriff, there was an accident in which a young girl got badly injured. The driver of the car was Nolan Flynn Jr. He was just 16 at the time, and had only a learners permit. In other words he shouldn't even been driving with an passenger in the car. But he insisted that she had begged him for a ride because she didn't want to get home late, and he was just trying to be a good friend."

"I take it** he **wasn't hurt?" Heero asked.

"Barely," the doctor confirmed. "I believe they kept him in the hospital overnight for observation but he was home the next day. The passenger side of the car took most of the damage. It's a miracle really the girl didn't die on the spot. "

"Why do I have the feeling there is more to this story?" Duo smothered one half of his jalapeno bagel with cream cheese then topped it with the other half.

"Perkins said he smelled alcohol on Flynn's breath when he helped him out of the car, so he ordered a blood test. But before he could file any charges that paperwork disappeared and the doctor who did the test was suddenly transferred to some clinic in the middle of outer Alaska or somewhere. Ben was furious. He was sure someone must have seen Nolan Flynn drink that evening, but all of his friends suddenly developed amnesia and couldn't remember being with him or even seeing him that day." The old man gave a snort that was underlined with disgust. "And Nolan Sr. went as far as to file charges for harassment and got himself a restraining order that kept the sheriff away from him and his family. Don almost lost his job over this. Even Molly's parents accused the sheriff of witch hunting. But then that shouldn't be that surprising, considering that the girl's medical bills for the past 18 years have been taken care of by Nolan Flynn."

"She is still receiving medical care?" Heero asked surprised

"She is still in a coma. If you ask me it would probably be best to let her go in peace. But I suppose her parents are still hoping for some kind of medical miracle."

"And of course," Duo added grimly, "if she would die the charges against Flynn, would he ever be prosecute, would change from reckless driving to manslaughter. So it is in his best interest too if she stays alive. Although I am not sure what the statue of limits on a case like that is."

"In any case... If the sheriff tries to go after Nolan Flynn again he'd better we very careful about it, and very sure about what he is going, or he might find himself without a job quicker than he can read the Miranda rights."

Duo blinked, his brows furrowed. "Did I miss something?" he asked.

"I'll fill you in on everything on the way back to the hotel," Heero told him, and then directed at the old man. "Thank you for your time, Doctor. I really appreciate it. I would love to talk more, but unfortunately I have a plane to catch in a few hours."

Doc Fletcher nodded. "I probably should be on my way too, before the wife sends out the cavalry and the mountain search team. I am sure we will see each other again."

###

"And all this happened while I was sleeping?" Duo snorted. By the time his lover had finished telling him about the mysterious note, the reopening of his parent's accident case and his talk to the sheriff and Doc Fletcher, they had reached the hotel.

"Maybe I should just go back to bed. You might have the whole caboodle wrapped up before nightfall..." He paused, looked at Heero and winced. "I am sorry that didn't come out right. I didn't mean to sound insensitive."

The other youth smiled softly as the pushed the button to call down the elevator.. "I know how you meant it. And I appreciate you trying to cheer me up. As for going back to bed, though... Keep dreaming. - no pun intended. We have got things to do."

The elevator doors opened with a swoosh and they stepped into the little car.

"Are you sure you don't want to come to Reno with us?"

"Quite sure." Duo nodded. "You are only going to visit Kingston Labs and fly right back, right? Unless of course..." He grinned as he leaned against the wood paneled wall. "You need me to be there and hold your hand while they take your blood."

Heero gave an amused huff. "They are not taking blood. It's just a swap from inside your mouth," he explained.

"Well maybe you need me to hold your hand for that."

"I think I will somehow manage."

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open again. Heero looked back over his shoulder at his lover as he stepped into the corridor. "But maybe you can comfort me when I get back," he suggested, a sly smirk on his lips.

"Oh? I have been told I am very good at comforting," Duo assured him.

Heero gave a quiet laugh as he unlocked their hotel room. Then he grew serious again.

"You know I have been going some thinking when I was walking to the coffee shop," he said as he slipped off his shoes and left them by the door.

"About what?" His lover wanted to know.

"Different things. Like, why wasn't Odin Lowe with my parents when the accident happened?"

"I thought he was." Duo dropped into one of the arm chairs. "He was right behind them, wasn't he?"

"I'm not so sure. He told he sheriff he didn't see the accident, only heard it and saw a car pass him before he reached the scene." Heero turned up the AC before taking the other seat. It wasn't even 10 o'clock in the morning and it was already hot. "Remember that area? It's a straight piece of road. He would have to have been quite a bit behind them to have lost sight of their car."

"Maybe he stuck at a traffic light?" Duo suggested.

"What traffic light?"

"Hmmm...point taken. So, what are you suggesting? You not blaming him, are you?"

"Of course not. I just want to know what happened. He seemed like someone who knew how to do his job. Letting the people you are supposed to protect out of your sight doesn't seem very professional, does it?"

There was a long moment of silent contemplation before Duo spoke again. "Maybe that's it."

"What is what?" His lover gave him a puzzled look.

"The reason why he is still hanging around. He had a job and blew it. And then he died before he could even come back here and make sure the people responsible got caught. No wonder he can't find peace with something like that on his conscience."

"You know, you might be on to something. We always assumed he was trying to clear his own name and proof that he wasn't a kidnapper, but from the moment he first tried contacting me it was always about my parents and the accident," Heero mused. "Quatre said they were heading back to school today, didn't he?"

"Umm yeah, why?"

"I should call him. I have got to a favor to ask."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 26**

"Sheriff? What brings you here?" Pat Malony wiped his grease-stained hands on a piece of cloth before stuffing it back into the pocket of his equally grease-stained jeans. "Let me guess. It's the transmission again, isn't it? I told you, the way you are driving..."

"It's not the transmission. In fact there is nothing wrong with the car...or my driving for that matter." Perkins climbed out of his jeep, slamming the door behind himself, and adjusted his Stetson. "I am here because I need to talk to you."

"Did I do something?" Malony asked, his voice wary.

"You tell me."

"Okay, if that's not it, what do you want to talk about."

Perkins gave a vague shrug as he leaned against the car the mechanic had been working on when he had pulled into the yard. "Something that happened some time ago."

"Mind if I keep working while we speak? I promised Misses K to have the car ready in the afternoon."

Malony picked up a wrench. It looked like a toy in his hands. He was a big man with deep red hair and green eyes. Sheriff Perkins wasn't exactly small either. But Malony towered over him like a giant. He looked like he could crack a person's skull with his bare hands without even trying very hard. In fact he once did, in a bar fight when he was young, and spent several years behind bars for it. But that was a long time ago, and as far as Perkins was concerned water under the bridge. "So, what is it you want to talk about?" Malony's head disappeared behind the open hood of the car.

"I want you to think back fifteen years, to the time when the accident happened at Raven Cross. Did anyone bring in any cars for repair around that time?"

The wrench clattered to the floor. The mechanic cleared his throat as he bend down to pick it up. "This is a repair shop, sheriff. A lot of cars come through here. What makes you think I remember one that I fixed that long ago."

Perkins pushed away from the car and walked around the front of it where he could see the other man.

"Oh, I am pretty sure you would remember that one. Not too many of that kind in town."

"What kind would that be?" Malony tried to pretend the sheriff's question hadn't startled him.

" Foreign...sportscar...red like a fire engine..."

The big man suddenly laughed. But it wasn't an amused sound.

"Nolan Flynn's Ferrari? He would let me touch any of his cars even if it broke down right outside my garage. No, he only trusts those overpriced dealership repair shops. Not that he can't afford to pay the extra money."

"So, you are sure he didn't come by to have... let's say a headlight replaced."

"Even if he would have, I don't stock parts for those fancy models."

"Yeah, I guess not." Perkins agreed. "Something else then. What happened the night of the accident at McGinty's?"

"Bloody hell, you want me to remember something that happened fifteen years ago."

"Just give it a try?"

"Hmm... Don't think I remember anything unusu... Wait I wasn't at McGinty's that night."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I spent that day sobering out in a cell courtesy of yours truly."

"And suddenly you can remember that in detail?"

"Yeah, because when the call came in you guys took off, and nobody came back to check on me until the next day. I was stuck in that bloody jail for more than 24 hours."

"Well, lucky you. I guess that makes you one of the few people who have an iron-clad alibi for that evening, doesn't it?"

Without another word of explanation sheriff Perkins got back into his jeep and started the car. He tipped his head before driving off, followed by Pat Malony's eyes.

###

The flight to Reno was a short one, barely long enough to enjoy the second cup of coffee, or tea in Keiji Ogiwara's case, the stewardess had served. They had chartered a private jet, small enough to pick them up at the airfield just outside town and save them the two hour drive into Mesquite.

Keiji was reading some Japanese news paper - god knew how he managed to get a hold of one at a place like Cloverfield - while Heero stared out of the window, lost in thought. Neither of them had spoken since the take-off. Suddenly the ringing of a phone broke into the silence. Both men simultaneously reached into their pockets.

"It's me," Heero announced and checked the number. It took him a moment to recognize it. "Sorry, I've got to take this. It's important."

The older man nodded understandingly. "Would you like some privacy?"

This was a small jet, and Heero couldn't really see how his uncle was planning on giving him privacy, aside maybe from locking himself into the bathroom. He shook his head as he pushed the answer button. "That's alright."

"Mister Yuy?" The connection wasn't particularly clear and neither was Bill Saunders' voice.

"Yes."

"I have some news about Shinichi Maede."

"You found him?" Heero asked the private detective.

"Not physically, no. But I know where he is. Turns out he left the mainland and moved to Hawaii soon after finishing his residency. "

"Hawaii?" Heero echoed. "Do you have a phone number or something?" He had hoped to talk to the doctor in person but a trip to Islands was out of question at the moment. The next best thing would be to contact Maede by phone.

"I am sure it shouldn't be hard to find. As a practicing physician his number would have to be public."

"He is still practicing."

"Yes, he opened his own private clinic right after he moved. I suppose he must have had some kind of windfall."

"What makes you say that?" Heero wanted to know.

"He went through medical school on a scholarship and even lived in subsidized housing. Maybe he won the lottery or got a large inheritance." Saunders suggested.

_Or he received a large payment for 'services rendered'._ The young man mused. However, aloud he said. "Yes, maybe. Let me know when you get that number. And thanks for calling."

After he hung up Heero slipped his phone back into his pocket.

_Could it be J paid him to sign my death certificate? Is that also the reason why he changed my name? Because he knew Hiro Ogiwara was legally dead? _

"Bad news?"

"Huh?"Heero looked up, startled.

"You look troubled." Keiji Ogiwara said. "I assume it has to do with the call you just received."

"Oh, no, it's nothing really. " He shook his head. "I hired a private detective to find Dr Maeda," he explained. "He told me the Doctor moved to Hawaii. I had hoped to speak to him. That's all."

"I see."

The flight attendant returned only a few minutes later to pick up the empty cups.

"We will be landing shortly," she informed them with a professional smile. "I will have to ask you to put on your seat belts and remain seated until we reach the airport."

Both men nodded as they buckled themselves in.

"How far is it from the airport to Kingston labs, do you know?"

"Not that far. I googled it this morning," Heero replied. "Unless we hit really bad traffic we should get there in little more than 30 minutes."

Keiji checked his watch. "Oh good. That should give us plenty of time even if the lines at the car rental turn out to be long."

"Yeah, that's what I figured." Heero nodded

A few moments later they could feel the jet starting to decent. The airport was directly below them. After one more circle the pilot lined the plane up with one of the runways and took it down.

###

"Well, should we go?" Quatre reached for the backpack between his feet and opened the car door.

"What we **should** do is turn around and drive home. But who asks me, right?"

The blonde gave his bodyguard a cheerful smile. "Oh come on, Trowa. The faster we go in, the faster we will be out again. It's for Heero, remember. This is important to him."

"Yeah, and that's the only reason I have agreed to this." The young man finally turned off the engine, pulled the key out and slipped it into his pocket. In the back seat, Cabal seemed to take that as a cue that they had arrived at their destination. He raised his head and yawned.

"Don't worry, this is perfectly safe. Besides," Quatre's smile widened. "I have not only one, but three very capable bodyguards at my side. Right Cabal, Alexander?"

The dog gave a single bark and the ghost made his presence known by ruffling everybody's hair.

"Still," Trowa blew a few strands of hair out of his eyes. "I prefer to be able to actually see my enemy."

"See, that's your problem right there." Quatre made sure Octavian's diary was safely tugged away in his backpack before zipping the bag up and throwing it over his shoulder. "You look at Odin Lowe as an enemy; he is not." He opened the door to the backseat and hooked the leash onto Cabal's collar. "Come on, let's go."

Heero's call had come in while they were still on their flight home. And after listening to their friend's request Quatre had, without hesitation, agreed to help. They went home just to drop off their things and exchange a few words with Wufei, who had been watching the house while they were out of town. Then they drove over to Milliardo and Treize's place to pick up Alexander and the dog. By the time they got there Heero had already spoken to their friends and explained the situation. Now they were back where everything started for Heero, hoping to get a few more answers to a lot of still unanswered questions.

The little shack at the gate to the junkyard was empty but the chain around the gate wasn't locked.

"He's got to be around here somewhere," Trowa pushed against the gate. "I can't imagine he would be too hard to find."

"Are you sure it's safe?" The hint of a smirk curved Quatre's lips as he gestured at the warning sign at the side of the shack. 'Stay out! Private property. Trespassers will be captured without warning and forced to eat my wife's meatloaf."

The other youth chuckled. "I survived your first cooking attempts, I think I will take my chances."

#

They found Pete, the junkyard owner, just around the corner helping one of his workers to secure a wrecked old minivan to a tow truck.

"Sir?" Trowa called out.

The two men turned.

"Can I help you?" Pete asked.

"I hope you do." Quatre gave the man a friendly smile as they stepped closer. As they came to a hold Cabal dropped into a 'Sit', next to the young man.

"We are friends of Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy."

"The lad who is trying to buy that old Buick?"

"Yes, that's him." Quatre confirmed. "And that car is pretty much why we are here. You see, Heero plans on eventually rebuilding it. He is out of town right now and found someone who offered him a lot of original parts for that model. I realize you only open the yard to the public on weekends, but he asked if we could take a look at the old Buick and make a list of what needs replacing. So we were hoping..."

The town truck driver snorted. "Tell him to replace the whole damn car, it's a piece of junk."

Pete threw the man a glare then turned back toward Quatre."Yeah sure go ahead look around. Do you need me to show you the way?"

Trowa shook his head. "I think we will be okay. Heero gave us a pretty good description of where to find it."

Pete nodded, then he looked down to Cabal and raised his hand to pet the dog's head.

"That's a beautiful animal you got there. What breed is it?"

"A Borzoi," Quatre explained. "He belongs to another friend. We are just taking him out for a walk."

"Borzoi, huh? Not by any chance a kind of guard dog, is it?"

"No, they are hunting dogs I think."

"Too bad. Nothing to hunt here I am afraid, except for the occasional sticky finger."

"You looking for a guard dog?" Trowa asked.

"Yeah, one or two; something I can leave here overnight. There always seem to be some people who think just because it's called a junkyard the stuff here is free for the taking."

"How about adopting something like a retired police dog?" The young man suggested. "They are already well trained to protect things. "

"Yeah, we tried that. He now stays at home with us, protecting his TV chair that used to be mine." Pete replied. But somehow he didn't sound too upset about it. "We also got two Rottweiler puppies and paid to have them specially trained. Didn't work out either. My daughter took them eventually. I suppose nobody will ever dare braking into her house. I don't know what it is, but something seems to spook the dogs around here. I am surprised he," the junkyard owner gave Cabal another pat on the head. "Is so calm."

The tow truck driver who was still securing the van, gave another snort. "Not spook, ghost," he snickered. "Or at least that's some of the guys here would say."

"Oh, don't even start, Frank." Pete exclaimed, an irritated edge in his voice. "Don't listen to him, he just thinks he is being funny."

"What? I am just repeating what others say."

"Now get moving, will you? I am not paying you to stand around spouting nonsense."

"I didn't say I actually believe in that stuff, did I?" Frank, the tow truck driver grumbled. He hooked up the last two chains, dusted off his pants and walked to the cab of his truck. But before he even slipped behind the steering wheel the chains fell back to the ground with a rattle.

"For god sake, are you even paying any attention to what you are doing?" Now Pete sounded positively angry. "You forgot to lock the chains."

"No I didn't." The other man insisted. "I have been towing cars for twenty years you know. I know what I am doing."

Quatre just smiled softly as they walked away from the squabble. "There will always be ignorance, Alexander. You shouldn't take it personally."

##

The Buick stood where it did that night when they first visited the junkyard.

In spite of all the bravado he had put on, Quatre felt a wave of unease as he remembered the first vision Odin Lowe had sent him back then. It wasn't something he ever wanted to experience again. Instinctively the young man slowed his steps. Beside him Trowa gave him a concerned look

"Are you alright?"

He forced himself to smile. "Yes, of course." Feeling Alexander's calm presence by his side was somewhat reassuring.

Suddenly Cabal froze. The hair in the back of his neck bristled, but only for a moment then he calmed down again. He let out a little whimper and one of his hind legs twitched like it did when someone was scratching that particularly sensitive spot behind his ears.

"He is here," Quatre announced for Trowa's benefit, since the bodyguard was the only one who wasn't able to actually sense the ghost's presence.

Trowa impulsively moved toward the blond. He hated this feeling of being helpless and 'blind'. But he trusted Alexander to protect Quatre if he ever was in any real danger.

"Keep your eyes open, will you?" Quatre gave a tiny smirk. "The last thing I need it for someone to walk in while I am talking to 'myself'."

He could feel the ghost shift away from the dog and closer toward him.

"Mister Lowe? I am sure you remember us. I was hoping you might be able to answer some more questions. It's about the accident... Not the one you were in, but the one that happened in Nevada. The one that killed Heero Yuy's parents. He is in Cloverfield as we speak trying to find out how it happened and who was involved... "

For a moment he could almost sense something akin to surprise from the ghost, and Quatre nodded.

"Yes, thanks to your help he was able to remember a few things about his parents and the way they died. But he has run into a few problems. For one, everybody there, including his father's family, seems under the impression that he had died. Can you tell me anything about that? "And also about the car you saw right after the accident. Heero is convinced it is the same vehicle he remembers causing his father to crash. You were going to tell the police about what happened, weren't you? But you never got around to it."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 27**

_"Mister Lowe?" The young doctor looked completely exhausted, which wasn't surprising considering that he had been on duty for more than 30 hours. But there was something else in his eyes, something that had nothing to do with physical exhaustion. _

_Lowe raised his head. He had long lost track of how long he had been sitting in the empty waiting room. But outside the window the sun was already rising, indicating that it must have been six or seven hours at least. He was wearing only a pair of slacks and a shirt that was stained with dried blood, grass and oil. His jacket had been left behind somewhere at the accident scene, where he had used it to cover the little boy while they waited for help to arrive._

_"I am sorry. We did anything we could but Mister Ogiwara's injuries were to severe...," the doctor told him. It sounded like a verse recited too many times. _

_The P.I. swallowed. "He didn't make it?"_

_"I am afraid not." The young doctor took off the surgery cap he was still wearing, crumbling it between his hands as he settled into the seat next to the other man. "He died about 15 minutes ago. I stayed with him until the very end."_

_"Dr...?"_

_"Maede, Shinichi Maede."_

_"How is the boy, Dr. Maede?"_

_"He is resting. I checked in on him before I came to see you. The child-seat he was strapped into seemed to have saved his life. He has a concussion and a broken wrist. And of course he lost a lot of blood from that nasty cut on his arm. But thanks to the doctor at the scene he will make it. He is one lucky kid."_

_"Really? I wonder if he feels that way once he finds out he just lost both his mother and father." Odin Lowe pushed himself up from his chair. "Excuse me, I have to make a phone call."_

_"Mister Lowe, please wait. I really need to talk to you before you make that call."_

_"Shoot!" The P.I. dropped back into the seat, giving Maede a questioning look. _

_The young doctor gazed around as though to make sure that no one was within earshot, then lowered his voice. _

_"Before Hiroshi Ogiwara died, he requested that I ask you a favor."_

_"What kind of favor?" _

_"He said you were taking his family to his wife's father and he wants you to do just that, take the boy to his grandfather."_

_"I can do that of course, but aren't there some kind of procedures that need to be followed regarding the boy's future guardianship?"_

_"That's just it." Maede took another look around. "The Ogiwara family will be here in a day or two to claim their son's remains. They will also claim custody over his son... If his son is still alive by then."_

_"But you just said the kid is doing fine, so..." Lowe's voice trailed off as realization suddenly struck. "What exactly are do you have in mind?" he asked, wariness in his eyes. _

_"This is a large hospital, people die every day, even children. Hiroshi Ogiwara did not want his son to return to Japan with his father. It was his dying wish and I intend to honor that wish."_

_"So you are planning on telling the Ogiwara family that both Hiroshi **and** his son died?"_

_"If that's what it takes. Will you help me?"_

_"This is just crazy."_

_The young doctor gave Lowe a pleading look. _

_"Oh ,what the hell," the P.I. finally shrugged. "How exactly are you planning on pulling this off?"_

_"There is a private clinic not far from here. The boy is stable enough to make the trip. He can stay there until his recovers enough for you to take him to his grandfather. I will take care of the transfer papers and death certificate."_

_"Yes, but what if the Ogiwara family wants to take his remains back to Japan?"_

_"Not a big problem either. There is always a John or Jane Doe or two in the morgue downstairs. Once the remains are cremated nobody will be able to tell the difference..."_

_"Very well. I will call his grandfather. If the old man agrees I will go along with your plan." Odin Lowe nodded as he once again pushed himself to his feet. _

The vision faded leaving Quatre slightly disoriented for a brief moment.

"I take it, Heero's grandfather **did** agree," he mumbled once his senses had fully recovered. "I suppose this explains why Hiro Ogiwara had to die, and Heero Yuy was 'born'."

He looked up in the direction where he could feel the detective's ghost. "If you don't mind, I do have a couple more questions."

###

"Mister Flynn, Sir?" The secretary, a young woman with blond hair and long legs, clad in a low cut blouse and a mini skirt that could have doubled as a belt if it were any shorter, caught up with him just as he was walking out of the conference room. "There is a call on line two for you. The man said it was important." She handed him a piece of paper with the caller's name and phone number. "Would you like me to tell him that you will call him back?"

"No," Nolan Flynn shook his head. "Put him through to my office, I'll take the call there."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh Sandra, my wife went to visit her mother and she won't be back until tomorrow. How would you like to have dinner with me tonight."

"I'd love to, Sir. But what am I going to tell my fiancé?"

"Tell him you will be working late...really late."

With a self-confident smirk Flynn walked into his office. He took off the jacket of his custom tailored business suit, throwing it over one of the chairs, and loosened his tie before settling down behind his desk.

Nolan Flynn was a man in his mid fifties with neatly trimmed hair and carefully manicured fingernails. He spend about as much time at the spa each week as he spend with his personal fitness trainer. Appearance was everything, as far as he was concerned. He never understood people who were worth millions but dressed like they had been shopping at the salvation army thrift store.

The phone on his desk started to blink, a sign that Sandra had put the caller through, and he picked up the receiver and leaned back in the high-backed leather chair.

"Hello?" His voice was deep and full of authority; the voice of a man accustomed to giving orders.

"Mister Flynn, I thought you should know, Sheriff Perkins has been running around town asking questions."

"What kind of questions?" Flynn wanted to know.

"About the accident, the one that happened at Raven's cross 15 years ago," the caller answered.

"I thought that case was long closed."

"He just reopened it. I'm sure it has to do with that guy who showed up the other day claiming he is the son of the people who died in that crash."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Perkins went out to talk to Pat Malony earlier today. In any case, I figured you would want to know about this."

"Yes, thank you. I really appreciate it, O'Brien. We will talk again."

As he hung up the phone Nolan Flynn frowned. "What are you up to now, Perkins?"

###

Quatre hesitated. His last question was also the most difficult to ask. Maybe that's why he had kept it for the end. He realized that Odin Lowe felt somehow guilty about what happened that evening; guilty enough to still stick around after fifteen years. So, this question couldn't be easy for the man...ghost. But it had to be ask.

The young man took a deep breath. "I do have one last question. Please, don't get this wrong. I am not trying to pass blame, just figuring out what exactly happened. You told the sheriff you weren't close enough to see the crash happen. But why? I mean didn't the four of you leave town together? How could they have gotten so far ahead of you? What went wrong?"

The last words had barely left his lips when he felt the ghost approach. But he didn't sense any malice, and apparently neither did Alexander and Cabal.

Something slipped into his pocket and moments later his phone was hovering in front of him in mid air.

The young man's eyes narrowed in confusion and he exchanged a look with Trowa who gave a puzzled shrug. Seconds later the bodyguard's own cell phone started to ring.

With a frown Trowa pushed the answer button. "Hello?"

There was nothing but static on the line.

"I don't get it," he shrugged in the ghost's direction.

Quatre's brows narrowed further as he tried to figure out what Odin Lowe was telling him. "Is that what happened?" he asked. "You got a call on your cell-phone but nobody was there?"

"They didn't have cell-phones back then." Trowa pointed out.

"Right!" His friend nodded. "So that can't be it."

"Wait! Maybe it can."

Quatre gave the other youth a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"They didn't have cell phones back then, but..." Trowa paused for the effect. "... they had pagers." He suddenly remembered sitting in Sheriff Bonaparte's office, reading over the list of personal items found on Odin Lowe's body. The P.I. had been carrying a beeper when he died. Back then it was probably as essential to any business man as a smart phone was today.

"Somebody paged you?"

Apparently that was the correct response because Quatre suddenly found himself thrown into another vision.

_Dusk was settling around him and he realized that he was standing outside his, Odin Lowe's, car at some kind of gas station. Apparently he had just been paged, because he was still holding his beeper in his hand as he walked over to Hiroshi Ogiwara's Toyota at the second gas pump._

_"I need to make a quick call. Might be a client." he told the man behind the wheel. "Shouldn't take long. Why don't you drive ahead already. I'll catch up with you soon."_

_Hiroshi Ogiwara nodded. "We will see you later."_

_As Lowe walked over to the pay phone outside the Quicky Mart the other car pulled slowly out of the gas station. _

_He dialed the number displayed on his pager; it wasn't one he was familiar with, and waited for someone on the other end to pick up. But the phone just kept ringing. Eventually Lowe just shrugged and hung up. He could always try later again. _

_By the time he was back behind the wheel of his Buick, the Toyota was nowhere in sight. Lowe was sure he would be catching up with them soon enough. He rolled down the driver side window, lit a cigarette and prepared himself for another long night on the road. _

_The P.I. was fiddling with the radio, trying to find a station with more music than talk, when he suddenly heard a hair-raising noise. In real life accidents never sound like on TV; they are louder and a lot more violent. _

_Lowe's heart nearly skipped a beat. With a curse he tossed the cigarette out of the window and put his foot down hard on the gas pedal. Moments later he had to swerve when a car with only one headlight raced past him like a bat out of hell. _

_The P.I. checked his rear-view mirror, trained eyes taking in as much detail as they could before the red sports car disappeared into the darkness. _

Quatre's heart was pounding when he returned to reality. He was grateful Lowe had broken the vision before they reached the accident site.

"Are you alright?" Trowa's voice was laced with concern as he laid his hand gently, reassuringly onto Quatre's shoulder.

The other youth nodded, a hint of a sad smile on his lips. "I am fine. Thanks though." He took another deep breath then looked up. "Thank you to you, too, Mister Lowe," he spoke quietly. "I hope, all of this will help Heero to finally close the book on this terrible chapter of his life. As far as I am concerned, you did the right thing...taking him to his grandfather, I mean. But I guess you already knew that, didn't you? You knew it the moment you met him again all grown up now. Hopefully all of this will be over soon and you can finally find the peace you deserve. Thanks again."

###

When the elevator stopped at the second floor it was already occupied. The young man inside nodded at him as Duo stepped into the car.

"Maxwell-san."

"Mister Ogiwara." For someone like him, raised in a less formal culture, it felt a bit strange to address a person so close to his own age as 'Mister'. But no one should say that he couldn't be polite. "Trying to find something to do?" he asked Akito.

"Trying to find something to eat, rather. Preferable in walking distance. My father took the car to the airport."

"I guess that makes me luckier than you. Heero left the keys to the jeep. There is a burger place by the interstate. I heading there myself if you want to join me."

"You don't mind?"

Duo shook his head. "Of course not. It's probably a 45 minute drive. But it's not like we will be missing anything."

About an hour later the two young men were sitting at the Roadside Diner, one of those places permanently stuck in the 50s, over freshly made fries and burgers big enough to cause lockjaw.

"Oh yes, that's what I call a meal." Duo mumbled around a mouthful of fries.

Akito just nodded.

"I have not had a burger since we left Japan. My father does not like fast food. Why do people when they get old forget all the good things?"

Duo shrugged. "I think it's some kind of gene that kicks in when you turn thirty. "

"I hope not."

They both laughed then grew quiet as they devoured their enormous burgers. Washing down the last pieces with a big gulp from his coke Akito gazed across the table at Duo.

"You and Yuy san are more than just good friends, aren't you?" he suddenly asked.

"I would like to think so."

"I know Father needs that test to be absolutely sure, but I am already convinced he is Uncle Hiroshi's son."

"I am sure that means a lot to him."

"He seems a bit distant, but he is really a likable person when you get to know him."

"He sure is." Duo grinned softly. _Though, it took more than an entire school year and some mingling from my friends for me to figure that out. _

Akito stared down at the empty basket that had held his burger.

"I am sorry about what happened to his parents, and this probably sounds like a terrible thing to say... but something good came out of Hiroshi's dead, at least for my family."

"How is that?" Duo frowned.

"My grandfather used to be a very strict and demanding man. I remember always trying to please him. But no matter how well I did in school or in sports it seemed never good enough for him. It was no different for my father and probably even worse for Hiroshi because was the first born. He was expected to be the best in everything."

"But that changed?"

"Grandfather changed," Akito confirmed. "After Hiroshi died he became a lot more tolerant. I think he blamed himself for driving his son away which eventually led to his death. The company didn't seem the most important thing for him anymore either. He started to spend more time with the family, even came to my school functions and my baseball games. He went as far as to drive me there. And wait afterwards for me at the gate. "

"What's wrong with that?" Duo cooked his head as he slowly nibbled at the last of his fries.

"I was 18 by then." Akito replied dryly, and once again they both laughed.

"You know, this sounds a lot like when Heero talks about his grandfather who brought him up. Desperately trying to be a good grandparent but not quite knowing how."

"Should we return now? They might soon come back, too?"

Duo nodded in agreement. "Let me just go for little boys first," he said, earning himself a puzzled look from the other man.

"Restroom," he explained with a tiny grin. "You speak English so well it is easy to forget you might not know the somewhat stranger expressions we use."

"I think I've heard it before but I didn't know what it meant then either. But I think I should use the little boy room too."

####

"You guys are back already?" Treize Khushrenada opened the door holding a large hammer in his hand.

One corner of Quatre's mouth rose into a smirk. "If this is how you greet your friends what do you do to unwelcome visitors."

The older man gave a quiet laugh. "Well normally I would set the dog or Alexander, or in worse cases both, on them," he joked.

"Speaking of which. Thanks for letting us borrow Cabal. And...," The blonde turned his head to face the ghostly presence to his right. "...thanks for coming along, Alexander. I very much appreciate it."

"You guys want to come in for a beer?" the professor asked as he took the diary and dog leash Quatre was handing him.

The blond exchanged a look with Trowa who nodded.

"Thanks, don't mind if we do. There is something I wanted to talk to you anyway. Where is Milliardo?, I didn't see his car outside.

"Should be back any minute. He just had to run a couple of errands." Treize let the dog off the lead, and the borzoi dashed into the living room to his favorite chair before anyone else could claim it.

"So, what were you doing with that hammer anyway?" Trowa wanted to know he slipped off his shoes by the door and hung up his jacket.

"Just putting up a couple of new pictures in the kitchen." Treize replied with a quick look back over his shoulder as he was already heading back.

By the time the two young men had followed him, the professor was straitening a black and white photograph he had just hung up.

"You know where the beer is; help yourselves." He gestured across the room to the tall steel refrigerator. And then, as Trowa went to grab a couple of bottles he added. "So, how did things go at the junkyard?"

"Quite well actually," Quatre smirked. "I think, I am finally getting the hang of this vision thing. Maybe, If I should flunk history I could always consider a career as a medium."

Treize huffed. "Is that a subtle way of telling me you haven't done the report I assigned over the break?"

"What report?" the young man asked in playful surprise, but then laughed. "Just joking, I finished it at my sister's house. It was a good excuse for getting away from the rugrats for a while."

The professor chuckled quietly. "You know in spite of all your grumbling about your family, I think you love them very much." He picked up a tape measure and pencil to mark the location for the next picture while Trowa handed his friend a bottle of beer, then shook his head when the young man offered him one as well. "So tell me, was that Lowe guy able to answer your...or better Heero's questions?"

"Yeah, most of them," Quatre confirmed as he popped the top off the beer bottle.

"But something about it is troubling you?" Treize put down the tools and leaned against the kitchen counter. "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?"

The young man nodded. "I think I need your opinion on something."

"Okay?"

"It's about something Odin Lowe told me. But I am not sure if Heero should know about it or not."

Treize raised one curious eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"Joyce, Heero's mother must have died on impact. Lowe said she was gone by the time he got to the scene. Heero was strapped into his seat in the back. His injuries weren't that bad except for a cut on his arm that was bleeding heavily. Hiroshi was drifting in and out consciousness. Lowe bandaged Heero's arm and raced off to call for help. When the doctor arrived Hiroshi was coherent but he refused to be touched insisting that his son should be taken care of first..."

"Sounds like something a father would do." Treize remarked.

Quatre nodded. "But that's not all. Like most Japanese people Hiroshi knew his blood type as well as his son's. He also knew they were a match, so he requested that his blood was used to stabilize Heero who was slipping away before the paramedics arrived. Apparently the doctor was a war veteran who has served in a MASH unit in Vietnam as well as in Korea. He had done live transfusions before and he agreed to do it. It kept Heero alive until the paramedics got there with blood supplies."

"But you think it might have killed his father?"

"No, I think Hiroshi was badly injured to begin with. But what if Heero feels otherwise? What if he blames himself for his father's dead once he finds out about this? I don't know if I want to be the one who tells him."

The professor nodded. "I see your dilemma. But maybe it's not as big as you might think. Heero always says he is only trying to find out who is parents were and how they died. I don't think the fact whether he got a blood transfusion from his father or not, really is relevant to in that. So if you feel you don't want to tell him about it, don't do it. Besides, last time I spoke to him he told me he met the doctor who saved his life. I assume he meant the same doctor who performed that transfusion. So he might already know about it or find out eventually on his own. But you don't need to be the one to tell him if it makes you uncomfortable."

Trowa who had been listening in silence until now, gave a semi-amused huff.

"What?" the older man asked. "Did I say something funny?"

"No, not at all. In fact you said almost the same I had told him on the way here. Of course he didn't believe it coming from me."

"It's not that I didn't believe you." Quatre defended himself. "I just wanted a second opinion, okay."

"Uh huh," the other youth replied, but his tone of voice indicated that he didn't buy it.

The sounds of the front door opening and Cabal jumping up from the couch in the living room indicated that Milliardo had returned home. And sure enough moments later the young man walked into the kitchen carrying a large and beautiful bouquet of flowers.

"Wow, you must have gotten yourself in real big trouble."

"What's that supposed to mean." Milliardo gave Quatre a questioning look.

"People don't buy flowers like that without a good reason."

The young man snorted in a mixture of amusement and sarcasm as he walked to the sink to fill it with water. "Does my mother's birthday qualify as a good enough reason?"

"I suppose. Are you taking her out or something?"

"Actually," Milliardo put the flowers into the water "my father made dinner reservations at her favorite restaurant. We will just join them. Which brings up the question..." He turned toward his lover. "Why haven't you changed yet. You don't want us to be late, do you?"

"I was only finishing up here," Treize told him. "We still have an hour, so keep your pants on."

Milliardo grinned. "Now there is something I never thought I would hear coming from you. Usually I can't get my pants off fast enough for you."

Treize just rolled his eyes at him.

Quatre tried hard not to laugh as he picked up his beer bottle and drained it on one last gulp. "We probably should be on our way too."

"No, Treize is right we don't have to leave for an hour. No reason for you guys to rush out." Milliardo told him.

"But we do have to go. It's been a long day and we haven't even had a chance to unpack yet," Quatre insisted.

Trowa nodded in agreement. "Maybe we can get together tomorrow or something."

###

The door to the bathroom was open when Duo walked into the hotel suite, the air heavy with the scent of sandalwood. He instantly recognized the smell of Heero's favorite hair and body wash.

A grin on his face the young man tiptoed to the bathroom door. He had expected to find his lover in the shower or drying off, but instead Heero was stretched out in the tub, his eyes closed, one arm dangling over the edge.

"Where have you been?" Heero's voice was thick with drowsiness.

"Grabbing a burger with Akito." Duo put down the top of the toilet and used the porcelain throne for a seat. "What are **you** up to?"

The other youth finally opened one lazy eye. "What does it look like?"

"A very bed reenactment of that scene bathtub scene with Val Kilmer in the movie 'The Doors'?"

Heero snorted and opened the other eye as well. "You are an idiot, Maxwell."

"Hmph," His lover gave an amused huff. "Tell me something I don't know already."

"Quatre called."

"What?" Duo sounded a little puzzled.

"You said, "Tell me something I don't know already." You didn't know that Quatre called back, did you? He and Trowa went to the junkyard and spoke to Odin Lowe."

"And, what did he find out?"

"It wasn't J's idea... to have Hiro Ogiwara declared dead and adopt me under a false name, I mean. It was what my father wanted. Because he didn't want to take the chance that I would end up living with **his** father. I guess he couldn't forgive the man even when he was dying."

"I am not sure about **that**. But he clearly wanted what's best for you. However, I had an interesting chat with Akito earlier. You really should talk to him if you get a chance, you know. He spoke about his family and his grandfather and how Hiroshi's dead changed him. So, maybe things would have worked out well either way. but, for what it's worth..." Duo put on a crooked grin. "I am glad you didn't have to go to Japan. Otherwise we might have never met."

"Thanks."

"Did Quatre tell you anything else?"

"He did. In fact he got a pretty good account of what happened that evening, including a good look at the car that might have caused the crash. The big question is how can we use Lowe's account to our advantage. I mean it's not like a dead man can be called in to testify, right?"

"Hmm..." There was a long moment of silence before Duo quietly asked: "After everything that happened and everything you know now...if you had a chance to put the genie back into the bottle, would you?"

Heero thought about it for a brief moment then shook his head. "No, I don't think I would."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.  
_

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 28**

"Have a save trip. I will keep you updated via email and if something important comes up I will call you."

"Thank you I left my phone number with Sheriff Perkins as well, just in case."

Heero and his uncle shook hands outside the hotel. And then as Kojii Ogiwara climbed into their rental car his nephew turned toward Akito.

"Don't be a stranger, okay? You've got my email address. And if you ever get a chance come visit me."

"I ¤might do that. So far I have only seen a small part of Nevada, I always wanted to visit other parts of this country."

"Great. I will introduce you to my friends. They are a bunch of complete lunatics, I think you will like them." Heero grinned

His cousin laughed. "If they are anything like Maxwell-san I am sure I will." Then, as he father started to honk impatiently he shrugged. "I'd better go before he drives off without me."

Akito waved at Duo Maxwell who was waiting beneath the red and white sun roof at the entrance, then slipped into the silver Toyota next to his father.

Duo strolled over to his lover's side, as Heero watched the car pull out of the parking lot.

"Want me to pick some coffee and bagels up at the coffee shop?"

"Na, it's easier to just go and eat there," Heero shook his head. "Besides we might get lucky and run into Perkins while we are there, then we don't have to drive to the station."

His friend held out his hand. "Get your jacket, I'll bring the jeep around."

###

"Hi there. Sheriff Perkins, just the person I was hoping to see. Doctor!" Heero nodded at the Doc Fletcher.

The two men were sitting in the coffee shop at the same table they had occupied the previous morning. One who didn't know better could have thought that they had never moved.

"Mister Yuy, Mister Maxwell," the sheriff returned the greeting with a nod of his own.

"Do you have a moment, I got some news I would like to fill you in on."

"Sure, why not. I wanted to talk to you too."

"Well, let me go grab you another coffee before we get started," Heero suggested. "One for you too, Doctor Fletcher."

"Thanks but I was just about to leave," the old man declined.

"I think I will pass too," Perkins added. "Wouldn't want anyone to get any funny ideas."

"Like what? Me trying to bribe you with a cup of coffee?" The young man laughed.

"Stranger things have happened." Perkins shrugged. "Anyway, how was your little trip to Reno?"

"Pretty uneventful." Heero slipped into the chair across from the sheriff, while Duo allowed the Doctor to get out of his corner seat before settling down as well.

"See you tomorrow, Jim!" The old man tipped his hat at the three men "Have a nice day."

"You too, Doctor."

As Doc Fletcher walked away Heero took a sip from his coffee cup. "The lab said we will get the results in about two weeks," he said then.

"Yeah I know. Mister Ogiwara called me last night," the sheriff explained.

"Ah yes," the young man nodded. "He mentioned before he left that he gave you his phone number."

"He also wanted to make sure I understood how powerful and influential his family was..."

Heero frowned. "He actually said that?"

"Oh yes," Perkins confirmed. "He mentioned it one or two... dozen times during our conversation. He also explained that he expected a very thorough investigation into his brother's death now that it seems as though foul play was involved. And I am more than happy to oblige him."

"How did your talk with that Malony fellow go?" Duo wanted to know. "Did he know what happened at the pub the night of the accident?"

The sheriff gazed briefly at the young man then shook his head. "Unfortunately not. Turned out he was in the drunk tank that night, I checked the old records. He also insists that he made no repairs to Nolan Jr.'s car after the accident. Claims he wouldn't even carry parts for those fancy European cars, which is probably true."

"But?" Duo asked. From the way Perkins ended his sentence it was clear there was a 'but' coming.

"...but it seemed to startle him quite a bit when I asked him about it. So I guess I will give him a day or two to think about it, then talk to him again. Anyway, you said you had some news for me..."

Heero nodded. "I made a few inquiries myself, and some phone calls. Including one long distance one last night."

"To Japan?" The sheriff guessed.

"No," the young man shook his head. "Hawaii."

"Hawaii? You planning a little tropical vacation or something? "

"No, I just had a conversation with Dr Shinichi Maede."

Perkins whistled through his teeth "No kidding? How did he feel about talking to a dead person?"

"Well, let's just say he wasn't as surprised to hear from me as you might have expected."

"So, he made some kind of mistake with that death certificate and knew about it?"

"There was no mistake, I assure you?"

The sheriff narrowed his eyes, giving the young man a questioning look, and Heero finally explained how Maede had, following his father's dying wish, falsified the document. Of course he didn't mention that he had gotten that info already from Quatre and only called Maede for confirmation.

"Is he willing to testify to that?"

Heero nodded. "That's what he said."

"He could lose his medical license," the sheriff pointed out.

The young man gave another nod. "He is aware of it. I think he always was. Is there any chance that we can keep him out of this?"

"I will see what I can do, but I can't make any promises. Is that it?"

"No, there is more. For one, I found out that someone made sure my parents were separated from their escort by calling the P.I. just when they were about to leave town. The time it took for him to get to a phone and answer the call was enough for him to lose sight of my parent's car. And by the way, when he returned the call nobody answered."

"And how exactly did you find out about this?" Perkins asked warily.

"It's kind of complicated..." Heero paused and took a sip of his coffee before continuing. "To make it simpler let's just say that Odin Lowe told someone about it."

"Before he died?"

"Of course before he died."

"Well obviously. What I meant is did he confide in someone when he was dying, a priest perhaps? That would make it difficult to put that person onto the witness stand."

"No, it wasn't a priest but still I don't think the person he spoke to could be called as a witness."

"Then you do realize that it is nothing but hearsay."

"Yes, I do realize that. But I thought it might help to find out who made that call that night. I took the liberty of contacting my local sheriff who confirmed that Lowe's pager was found after he died. Sheriff Bonaparte promised me to get in touch with the FBI who still have his belongings in storage."

"Wow, you really have been busy, haven't you?"

"Don't feel bad," Duo told the sheriff as he slathered his bagel with a thick layer of cream cheese. "Next to Heero everyone looks like an underachiever."

"Well, it's just that I'm running out of time and I want to learn as much as I can while I am still here."

Perkins' eyes narrowed again. "Running out of time? You are not dying or anything, are you?"

"Not as far as I know." Heero told him. "But school starts again on Tuesday. We will probably fly home Monday night."

"I see."

"So what's your move going to be?"

"I think," the sheriff said. "It's time for a little conversation with Nolan Jr. I really would like to know what happened to the car he was driving 16 years ago."

"And while you are on it," Duo told the man, "You might wanna asked him about his girlfriend from back then, too. I've heard she was the homecoming queen his senior year in high school. She had both looks and brains, but unfortunately her family wasn't exactly rolling in dough when her father died after a long battle with cancer. Yet, she went to a first class college, all expenses paid by a anonymous benefactor from what I've heard."

"And exactly how **did** you hear about all this?"

The young man shrugged. "A little bird told me at the gas station this morning. You see in a little town where anyone knows everyone, anyone also knows **everything** about everyone."

Perkins studied him intensely. "Somehow I am beginning to think you are not the fool I thought you to be when we first met."

"I am not," Duo confirmed with a grin. "I just play one on TV."

####

Sheriff Perkins frowned at the sight of the dark blue pickup truck outside the sheriff's station. He parked next to the vehicle, climbed out of his jeep and adjusted his Stetson.

Inside the station Deputy O'Brien was fastening his gun holster as he walked in.

"Ah, Sheriff, I was trying to reach you.

"Bloody phone ran out of power again. What is it?"

"Missis D called..."

"Her cat needs rescuing again?" Perkins guessed. "I told her, if she would just get rid of that damn tree it would make a lot easier for us."

"But it's the tree her grandfather planted when he and her grandmother got married. She is not going to cut down that one." O'Brien pointed out.

Of course he was right. Everyone in town knew the story behind the gnarly old pine tree. And even Perkins had heard it a few more times than he cared to remember.

"Well maybe some jokester will do us a favor and take a chain saw to it in the middle of the night.

"Maybe," the deputy agreed. "Oh yeah, he has been sitting her for an hour." He gestured over his shoulder to the back of the room. "Wants to talk to you, he says."

Perkins turned his head. Pat Malony was sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting area. So it had been his pick-up out in front, after all.

"About what?"

"Don't know. He wouldn't tell me."

The tall Irishman looked in his direction but didn't get out of his chair until the sheriff approached him.

"What brings you here?"

"We need to talk, Sheriff."

Perkins nodded. "Let's go into my office." He unlocked the door and held it open for Malony. Behind them Deputy O'Brien was leaving to rescue the stranded cat.

"Have a seat." Perkins hung his hat onto the coat rack by the door then walked around his desk and dropped into the high-backed leather chair. Without another word he just looked at Malony and waited.

The Irishman shifted uncomfortably in his seat for a few moments before he finally started to talk.

"I'm afraid I didn't tell you the whole story yesterday when you came to see me," he told the sheriff. "To tell the truth it scared the bloody hell out of me when you started to ask me those questions..."

"So, you did repair Flynn's Ferrari after all " Perkins concluded.

Malony shook his head. "I never touched that car, not before or after the accident. It was the Toyota I fixed."

"The Toyota? Hiroshi Ogiwara's car?" Perkin's blinked. That was completely unexpected. "When did you work on it? What was wrong with it?"

"The day of the accident. That P.I. guy called me in the morning. Someone had slashed all four of their tires over night. I had to tow the car. The Japanese guy, what did you call him...Hiroshi? He told me he would pay me a bonus if I have it ready and running by the afternoon. I had to find the right tires, but back then I knew some guys who would sell me parts cheap. I didn't ask where they came from, if you know what I mean. I got it done and they picked the car up in the early afternoon. I decided to close shop early and turn my bonus into booze. And that's how you guys picked me up a few hours later..."

He paused but Perkins didn't interrupt him. Somehow he had a feeling there was more to come.

"When I heard about the accident the next day I..." Another pause, longer this time. Then Malony shook his head. "For the past 15 years I thought that I might have killed those people. Maybe I forgot to faster a screw properly or one of those tires I bought had been faulty... And now rumor has it that it might not have been a simple accident, that there might have been another car involved... Is it true, Sheriff?"

Perkins nodded. "It looks that way."

"Was it Flynn?"

The sheriff shrugged. "Possibly. But one thing is sure, Pat, it was no mechanical error."

The tall Irishman gave a sound of relief. "You have no idea what that means to me."

"But tell me, you've got any idea who had slashed their tires and why?"

"I'm not sure." Malony shrugged. "But it might have to do with the fight at McGinty 's the night before."

"What...what fight? What are you talking about?"

"Nolan Flynn and his posse got into an argument with the Japanese fellow. They got thrown out of the pub."

"Why didn't you tell me about that yesterday when I asked you if something happened at McGinty 's?" Perkins barked.

"You didn't asked," the mechanic replied calmly. "You wanted to know if something happened the night of the accident. This was the night before."

"Alright, tell exactly what happened."

"I am not sure." Malony shrugged. "They were minding pool, I was at the bar minding my own business. Didn't pay much attention really until Nolan suddenly came flying through the room, nearly taking out half of the bar. But before it could turn into a big fight McGinty threw the whole gang out and told them to go home."

"Who was with Flynn that evening."

Another shrug. "Like I said I wasn't paying them no mind. But he always used to hang out with some of the guys he went to high school with."

"What about girls, any girls with him?" Perkins wanted to know.

"Maybe, I am sure there were a couple hanging around with him too. You know how it is, kids that age are easily impressed by fast cars and money, both of which Nolan Flynn had plenty of. Oh wait..." the Irishman suddenly perked up. "I just remember the Anderson boys, were with Flynn that night. Freddy, the younger one came over to buy a pack of cigarettes and got all wound up when Bob McGinty asked him for an ID."

"The Anderson boys? Hmm...Don't think I have seen them in town for a while. Well, I guess it's time for a little game of 'Where are they now?'."

TBC

Author's Note:


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 29**

The lights were on, but everything was quiet as Special Agent Une walked into the basement lab.

"Dr Po? Are you in already?"

The young woman looked up from the comparison microscope, blinking to refocus her eyes.

"Ah,Special Agent Une."

"Oh good, you are here. I thought you we're working the late shift today."

"I am," she confirmed. "But Agent Parker has to be in court at 1:30 this afternoon and he asked me to recheck the evidence needed for his testimony. It's his first case. I think he is a little nervous."

"It's a solid case. He has nothing to worry about." Une replied.

Sally Po laughed. "You don't have to tell me, tell him. But, what brings you down here? Anything I can do for you?"

"I would like you to take a look at this, if you get a chance." Pulling out a small evidence bag, Une put it down on the table beside the microscope.

Dr Po frowned slightly as she picked up the bag, turning it over in her hand to get a good look at its content. "A pager? What do you want me to do with it?"

"Hopefully get it to work."

"That thing has to be twenty years old."

"Sixteen actually...according to the manufacturer." the special agent corrected. "But back then it used to be state of the art from what I understand. If we manage to power it up we should be able to access a list of saved phone numbers."

"Hmm..."Sally Po crooked her head. "I will see what I can do. Is this for a new case you are working on?"

"No, actually it's a case YOU are working on."

"I beg your pardon?" Sally's frown deepened.

"The kidnapping...or none-kidnapping of your friend Heero Yuy." Une explained.

###

"Achoo! Achoo!" The young man pinched the bridge of his nose before he could sneeze for a third time. "Sorry, Sheriff," he apologized

"Gesundheit! Caught a cold or something?" Perkins asked at the other end of the phone.

Heero was sitting in the living room of the executive suite he and Duo had moved into about an hour earlier. "I don't think so. I feel fine."

"Maybe someone is talking about you," the sheriff suggested, tongue in cheek.

The young man snorted. "Probably the whole town by now. Anyway, how did your meeting with Nolan Flynn go, Sheriff."

"Actually, I haven't spoken to him yet. I had someone waiting for me when I got back to my office," Perkins replied. He told Heero about Pat Malony's surprise visit and the new revelation that came along with it.

The young man listened quietly until the sheriff had finished his account.

"So, whatever happened didn't start on the night of the accident but the day before at ?"

"Apparently. Unfortunately the Anderson Brothers left town years ago. One of them is in the military stationed overseas, the other works on an oilrig at the coast of Alaska. Not exactly easy to get in touch with them."

"And they are not the only ones it seems. It feels like anyone and everyone who might know something about this moved away."

"Well, that's Cloverfields for you. People, especially the younger generation don't stick around for long. But luckily I know exactly where to find the one person I am most interested in. And I feel more than ever than I should have a little chat with him."

"Then I won't keep you." Heero told him. "Call me when you know more."

He ended the conversation and slipped his phone back his pocket, then turned his attention back toward his laptop sitting in front of him on the low coffee table.

He had decided to work on his history report for a while, even though Professor Khushrenada had assured him that he would give him a few extra days to complete it after school started again.

###

"O'Brien?" Sheriff Perkins called out as he walked out of his office.

The deputy was sitting behind his own desk, rummaging through the small first aid kit that was always kept in the bathroom.

"I take it you got Misses D"s cat is back on solid ground?"

"Yes Sir, but not before she scratched and bit the hell out of me." O'Brien held up his hand wrapped in a bloodied handkerchief for emphasis. "The darn beast is crazy, I tell you."

"It's a cat, what did you expect? Next time just throw a blanket over her before you grab her. Now go see the doc before that finger falls off or something."

The deputy swallowed as he looked down at his hand and back up again. He noticed only then that he sheriff was wearing his hat and uniform jacket.

"You are going somewhere, Sir?"

"It's time to pay a visit to an old friend."

"Nolan Flynn?" It was a statement rather than a question. "Do you want me to come along?"

"No, I need you to stay here in the office. It will take me a few hours to get there and back. Take care of things here while I am gone. But first go and see the doctor."

"Yes, Sir."

As Perkins walked out of the sheriff's station and climbed into his jeep, Deputy O'Brien slowly reached for the phone. His hand already on the receiver he paused, hesitating for just a few moments before he actually picked up.

###

Heero was still typing away on his laptop when the door to the suite opened and Duo walked in.

"Where have you been?" The young man looked up from the keyboard. "I thought you were going down to the lobby to take care of the paperwork?"

"I did," his lover confirmed. "Here is your key." The young man threw the little electronic card onto the table.

"For an hour and a half? How many forms did you have to sign for a simple room switch?"

"Just one." Duo stopped at the mini-bar to grab a couple of cokes, handing one of them to Heero before he plopped into the seat next to him and opened the bottle he had picked for himself.

"I also went to the library."

The other youth gave him a surprised look. "Should I be concerned?" he asked, a sarcastic tone in his voice."You going to a library during school break, I thought that was against your religion or something." The young man saved the document he was working on and closed the laptop.

"Well," Duo managed a straight face as he declared somberly. "There are times when we all have to make sacrifices."

"You mind telling me what those sacrifices are about?" Heero looked at him questioningly as he raised the coke bottle to his lips and took a long gulp.

His friend turned serious. "You know, old yearbooks can tell you a lot about people, and I am not just talking about what kind of embarrassing haircuts they used to sport."

###

It was about a quarter to three when Sheriff Perkins finally pulled up in front of the large white mansion just outside of Mesquite. Although the Flynn family owned the mines, the land and pretty much most of the town of Cloverfields, they hadn't actually lived there for several generations. Instead they had build this eye catching villa a little 'closer to civilization'. It looked like something transplanted right out of an old movie set in the south, and Perkins almost expected a white-gloved, black butler to greet him at the front door.

But instead it was Nolan Flynn himself waiting at the top the impressive sweeping stairway. Or perhaps the patriarch of the Flynn family was just in the habit of smoking outside.

When he saw the visitor approach he extinguished his cigarette in one of the large marble planters and turned toward him with a less than content expression.

"Sheriff Perkins, I would be lying if I said it's a pleasure to see you again," he greeted the man. "Especially since rumor has it that you are starting yet another witch-hunt against my son."

"Mister Flynn." Perkins tipped his hat and kept his voice as neutral and polite as possible. "I would never have taken you for a man who listens to rumors."

"Are you trying to tell me that you are not investigating Nolan? Then why are you here?"

"I **am** conducting an investigation," the sheriff confirmed. "But whoever has been feeding your rumors might have also told you that I have been talking to a lot of people. So in other words today I'm only here to ask your son a few questions."

Just then a second car, a fancy and very elegant black Bentley - still sporting its dealer plates - came down the driveway toward the house. It stopped right behind the sheriff's jeep, and a moment later a man in a dark suit climbed out of the driver seat. He was about Nolan Flynn's age, with the tan complexion of a man who loved the outdoors and just enough gray in his hair to give him an aura of experience but not old age.

"Sheriff," Flynn introduced as the man joined them at the top of the stairs. "I take it you remember Mister Sellek, our family lawyer."

"Of course I do. What an coincidence. You must have been in the neighborhood to get here so soon after me. Down on the golf course I presume?"

"I was at my office," Sellek replied, a cold edge in his voice. "Mister Flynn called me as soon as he learned that you were coming."

"Is that so?" Perkins took off his Stetson to scratch his head. "Now that really makes me wonder how exactly he found out about that. But even more... Why did he call you? Do you feel you might be needing a lawyer, Mister Flynn?"

"I believe it is up to Mister Flynn to decide if he wishes to have me present when you are questioning him or not."

"It is," the sheriff confirmed. "However I am not here to question him. I came to question his son. He is home, is he not?"

Just like on queue the front door opened and Nolan Jr. entered the scene. Tall and handsome he tried to look as imposing and confident as his father without quite pulling it off.

"You have to forgive my father, Sheriff. Sometimes he seems to think I am still his little boy who can't take care of himself."

Perkins felt the urge to point out that it could have t do with the fact that Jr., at 37, was still living at home, but decided to against it.

"Let's go inside."

Seth Sellek, the family lawyer started to follow when Nolan Jr. lead the way, until Flynn raised his hand to stop him. "If I feel like I need legal advice I'll call for you."

He closed the door to the sitting room behind the sheriff and gestured to one of a matching set of toffee brown leather chairs by the fireplace. "Have a seat."

Nolan walked to the bar and poured himself what looked like whiskey before he settled down in the other chair. "I would offer you a drink, Sheriff, but I am afraid you might take it the wrong way and try to arrest me for attempted bribery. Besides, I really would like to get this over with as soon as possible."

This time Perkins didn't bit his tongue. "Can't say I blame, considering the hourly rates a lawyer like Sellek goes by."

Flynn managed a grin. "And here I always thought you didn't have a sense of humor."

"Oh, I do have a sense of humor. I just tent to lose it easily when people try to take me for a fool. But anyway, I agree, we should get this over with quickly. So, since I am pretty sure you already know why I am here, why don't you start by trying to tell me where you were and what you did the night of October 11th 1986."

Nolan gave a laugh that sounded more insulted than amused. "Sheriff, I probably couldn't tell you what I did last year in October. What makes you think I remember what I did in 86?"

"Fair enough," Perkins agreed with a nod. "Then let me see if I can refresh your memory by telling you what you did the night before."

Without saying a word Flynn sipped his whiskey and looked at the sheriff questioningly.

"From what I understand you and your friends got thrown out of McGinty's that evening. But not before you, quite literally, were thrown through the bar by that Japanese fellow. What happened? You must have said or done something that really pissed him off."

"Ouch," Nolan grimaced. "Yes I **do** remember that incident. Not exactly my shiniest moment."

"Must have been quite embarrassing being beat up in front of everyone."

"You can say that again."

"Must have made you mighty angry. Angry enough to go and slash the tires of his car later that night." Perkins spoke casually as though he was having a friendly conversation, but his eyes didn't miss as much as a twitch in Flynn's face.

"You know about that too, huh? To be honest, looking back I am more embarrassed about that than the beating I got. Its true what they say I guess, teenagers do a lot of stupid things."

"You were 22 back then, an adult not a teenager."

"Legally maybe. But anyway, I do remember now what I did the night after that."

"Yeah? What?"

"I sat at home, alone in my room. Because my father had grounded me after he learned about the fight at McGinty's."

"Really?" Perkin's voice was laced with more than a little skepticism. "Then how would you explain that your Ferrari was seen near Raven Cross on the 11th? Moments after the accident there happened?"

"My Ferrari?" Flynn didn't miss a beat. "I wish, someone would have stopped whoever was driving it. You see, sheriff the car had been stolen a few days earlier."

"Stolen?" The sheriff echoed. "And of course, if I go back and check I would find a police report about that theft."

The other man shrugged.

"I didn't report it right away," he admitted. "No, I guess I should say I didn't tell my father about it right away. Once I did fess up, he made me file a police report."

"Let me guess, this would have been **after** the 11th."

Another shrug. "To be honest I don't remember. But I really don't like what you seem to insinuate. This conversation is over. And the next time we talk I will insist on having my lawyer present."

Perkins nodded as he slowly rose to his feet. "That's of course your prerogative, Mister Flynn. You won't mind if I check your story about the police report, though."

"Go right ahead, sheriff."

###

"Heads up!" It was only for Trowa's shout of alarm that nobody was hurt when a bright red rubber bone came suddenly flying over the patio table, and only for Treize's quick reflexes that Cabal didn't follow his favorite toy a second later.

He grabbed the dog by its collar pulling him back. "That's enough, Alexander."

"Aww, come on," Quatre chuckled. "They are just having fun."

The 'gang' was gathered at his place for a little afternoon of BBQ-ing.

The professor huffed. "There is having fun and then there is having fun. I don't know about you, but he only dogs I want on my table are hotdogs."

His host laughed. "Speaking of which... How is the grill doing?"

"Should be hot by now." Trowa checked his watch. "Wufei said he will be here by 5:30. If we get started now the first batch should be done by the time he gets here."

"Great, then I will go break out the brats and steaks. Will you give me a hand, Milliardo?"

"Sure."

As the two went into the house Trowa walked over to the BBQ to check the charcoal. He looked back over his shoulder at Treize, the only one left sitting at the table.

"Say, has my sister been in contact with you since she went back to Germany?"

"Leia? No, why?"

"Ah, no real reason." The younger man shrugged. "She just said something about trying to stay in closer contact with people."

"You haven't heard from her?"

"No, I have. In fact," Trowa pulled out his wallet as he returned to the table. "She just sent me some new photos of Mariemaia, her daughter. Isn't she cute?"

The professor looked at the picture he was showing him and smiled. "She sure is."

"She doesn't look a lot like Leia. But I guess they say girls often favor their father and boys their mother."

"Yeah, I think I heard that too."

"She is only 4 but she is a smart little thing. I m sure sooner or later she is going to want to know about her Daddy."

"I take it he isn't around, then?"

"No. And knowing Leia, I wouldn't be surprised she never told him about the child."

A tiny frown line formed on Treize's forehead as he studied the photograph one more time. "**How** old did you say she was?"

"She turned four on May 28th." Trowa put the picture back into his wallet, just as Milliardo and Quatre returned with the food.

"I just remember something I meant to ask," Quatre said as he set the tray with the beer-soaked bratwursts down on the counter by the BBQ. "Trowa and I are going to the opening of the new Egyptian exhibit at the Brower museum on Monday. You guys want to join us?"

"Oh I read about that," Milliardo nodded. "The head curator of the Cairo museum will be there giving a lecture, I believe. We should go Treize."

"I'd love to," his lover agreed. "But aren't you forgetting something?"

"Me?"

"You promised Relena to check out the piano on Monday."

"Oh yes, right. But that's okay. I have a meeting with the construction company foreman at 9 in the morning, but that won't take longer than an hour. If I take Relena to the consignment store right afterwards I will be back home by noon."

Trowa was placing the first steaks onto the sizzling hot grill. "Okay, then I will order the tickets tonight."

"Let me take care of that," Treize insisted. "I have a VIP membership to the museum. That lets me get front row seats in the lecture hall."

"Great," Quatre replied enthusiastically. "We should invite Wufei too."

"Invite me to what?"

"Ah Wufei good timing, did Alexander let you in?"

"I assume so, unless you installed electronically opening doors since the last time I came over." The young Chinese man greeted everyone with a nod and a 'hi', as he walked out onto the patio, and then directed at Trowa who was still manning the grill. "Don't overcook my steak."

"Complain and you can cook it yourself," his friend fired back in good humor.

"Want to come to the museum on Monday?" Treize asked. "They are opening the new exhibit on loan from the Cairo museum."

"Is that the one that has pieces from the King Tut treasure? I always wanted to see that one." Wufei replied as he settled down in one of the empty chairs.

"I will take that as a yes."

"It's going to be fun.," Quatre predicted. "Too bad Duo and Heero aren't here to join us."

"We could always go again in a few weeks," the professor suggested. "I don't know about you, but I rarely ever seen an exhibition just once."

"Talking of Duo and Heero... Any news from them?" Wufei wanted to know.

"We didn't talk to them since yesterday," Trowa told him.

"Neither did we," Milliardo added. "I wonder what they are up to right now?"

####

"Its Friday, everyone is back in town. They might have gone to catch a movie. Or they are just hanging out. who knows." Heero shrugged as he grabbed his leather jacket from the closet. He and Duo were just about to leave for dinner. It was still relatively early but they wanted to beat the Friday evening crowd.

"Right, Quatre mentioned something about a BBQ. He asked if they could borrow some patio chairs."

"BBQ sounds good. I think I saw pulled pork sandwiches on the claim jumper's menu."

"**That **does sound good," his lover agreed. But before he could add anything else he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

The two young men exchanged a surprised look. The maid had already been through and they certainly hadn't ordered any room service.

But when Duo opened the door it wasn't a hotel employee but the local arm of the law standing outside in the hall.

"Ah Sheriff."

Perkins looked at the two young men, both dressed to leave the house.

"Is this a bad time?" He asked.

"We were just about to go out for dinner," Heero explained. " But that can easily postponed. Please come in."

"Thanks. I just got back from Mesquite." Perkins explained as he walked into the suite

Closing the door behind him Duo followed the man.

"The interview with Nolan Flynn Jr?" Heero presumed. He gestured at the couch.

"Yes," the sheriff confirmed. He took oh his hat, keeping it in his lap as he sat down.

"What did he have to say?" Duo unzipped his jacket as he settled into one of the leather chairs.

"He didn't bother denying that he got into a fight with your father, Mister Yuy. Or slashing his tires afterward. He even agreed that his car could have been at the accident scene the next night..."

"But?" Heero was sure there was a 'but' coming.

"He insist that his car had been stolen."

"Does he have any kind of proof?"

"He says he filed a police report but conveniently can't remember when."

"Is it possible?" Heero asked quietly.

Possible, I suppose," Perkins shrugged. "But highly unlikely. But I will dig through the old files tomorrow and see if and when the Ferrari was reported stolen."

"Speaking of which." Duo threw in. "We did some digging of our own. Through old high-school yearbooks. Sheriff, your deputy's name is O'Brian isn't it? Does he have an older brother?"

"He did. Patrick was in law enforcement too, but he joined the military during Desert Storm; was killed in some road side bombing. Why?"

"Did you know that he went to school together with Nolan Flynn Jr? They took quite a few of the same classes.""

It was clear from the look on his face that Perkins hadn't known about that, even before he answered.

"No, I didn't. But it explains a few things."

Heero gave the sheriff a questioning look.

"When I got to the Flynn's house today the family lawyer arrived only a few minutes later." Perkins told them. "I was wondering how Flynn knew that I was coming. Well, I guess I won't keep you any longer." He rose to his feet, putting the Stetson back onto his head as he did so. "Enjoy your dinner."

####

"Are you alright?"

"Yes of course. Why?" Treize Khushrenada looked up. He had been staring out of the car window ever since they had left their friends' house.

"You have been strangely quiet. I was starting to think you are upset with me."

"I'm sorry. Just thinking I guess." There was a moment of silence before Treize spoke again. "Milliardo... what would you think if you suddenly found out you have a child somewhere?"

His lover laughed. "I would be very very confused, because I don't remember ever having slept with a woman. Are you questioning my faithfulness?"

"That thought would never cross my mind," the other man assured him.

"Then where did that question come from? You trying to tell me you've got a child?"

"Me?" The older man gave an amused huff. "Not as far as I know."

But even though he was trying to laugh it off he just couldn't forget the face of Leia's daughter and the conversation he have had with Trowa.

_**She turned four on May 28th **_

_It isn't possible, is it...? We were using protection, weren't we? I don't even remember. _

In the backseat Cabal stirred. His legs were moving, his tail wagging and he made little whimpering sounds. Maybe he was still chasing table scraps or red rubber bones in his sleep.

Treize looked back over his shoulder and smiled. "Sometimes I really wonder what he is dreaming."

###

Deputy O'Brian. Answered the door dressed in a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt. In the background some kind of sports show was running on TV.

"Sheriff?"

"Did anything happen while I was gone this afternoon?"

"No, everything was quiet."

"Good. How is your hand?"

"It's getting better." He showed off the freshly bandaged finger. "Doc gave me a Tetanus shot just in case."

"Anything else you would like to tell me?"

"Like what?"

"Like how Flynn knew that I was coming?" Perkins asked sharply. "Is he paying you to inform him about things going on here at the sheriff station?"

O'Brien's expression went from startled to disgusted in a heartbeat. "I called him, alright, but he isn't paying me anything."

"Why?"

"Because you are wrong sheriff. You are trying to pin something on Nolan no matter if he did it or not."

"Is that what **he** told you?"

"He didn't have to. But in spite of what you think, Sheriff, the Flynns are not bad people. When my mother got sick and the insurance dropped her, Mister Flynn paid all of her medical bills, and when my brother got killed he was there to support us too. Go around in town and you will find any number of people with similar stories."

"That might be. But it has nothing to with this investigation. Nobody is above the law: nobody. And if Nolan has anything to with the death of that family then he needs to pay for it. If you don't understand that, perhaps you have chosen the wrong line of work."

"Are you telling me I am fired?" O'Brian asked.

"Not this time."

"Then I will see you in the office in morning Good night."

"Very well," Perkins nodded. "Just be careful. Before you find yourself in real hot water out of misguided loyalty."

The younger man didn't say anything as he closed the door. But through the window shutters he watched as he sheriff slowly climbed into his car and drove away.

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 30**

"Is the sheriff in?"

Deputy O'Brien looked up from the computer keyboard. The woman who had entered the station was in her mid 30's, with shoulder-long, ginger-colored hair.

"Aw sorry, you just missed him. He was called into town. Apparently someone parked his car right in the front-window of the bookstore."

"On purpose?"

"I sure hope not."

"How have you been, Dale? Or do I need to call you Deputy O'Brien now."

He smiled softly. "Only if you want me to call you Miss Carlton."

She laughed, and his smile grew a little wider. He had known Susan Carlton for most of his life, and at one point he had even had a little crush on her in spite the fact that she was almost ten years older and had been going steady with his brother. The two of them had been high-school sweethearts who were engaged to be married by the time Patrick went to Iraq. After his death she had moved on with life, but never married anyone else, insisting that there just wasn't anyone else living up to her expectations in Cloverfields.

"Do you want to wait for the sheriff or is there anything I can do for you?"

"Well, actually I was just turning in this inventory he asked for." She pulled a piece of paper from her purse and shook it open. "It's a list of things that were stolen in the break-in last week," she explained as handed it to him.

O'Brien nodded. He remembered the theft even though he hadn't been the one who responded to it.

The Carlton family owned the little drugstore on main street where Susan now worked as a licensed pharmacist. It was the second time within a six month period that someone, or **someones,** had broken in through the delivery door in the back and grabbed a number of items from the shelves that seemed to amount more to petty theft than burglary.

O'Brien's eyes flew over the neatly handwritten lines._ ...cigarettes, beer, a couple of pre-paid cell phones, a few cans of spray paint..._"Clearasil?"

"It's a acne me..." She started to explain.

"I know what it is," the deputy huffed. "I guess that supports the sheriffs theory that those break-ins are the doings of a couple high-school kids." He gave another huff and shook his head. "With a store full of drugs you would think with they would grab something a little better than Clearsil, though. But then, teenagers aren't known to be the brightest creatures in the universe, even if they think they are."

"You can say that again. I suppose everyone's teenage years are full of stupid mistakes" There was a sudden sadness in her voice, and O'Brien couldn't help but wonder if she was referring to her doomed relationship with his brother. But before he could say anything the young woman smiled again.

"Well, I'd better be on my way. My parents are out of town, and I had to close the store to come here. Talk to you soon."

"Later." O' Brien replied.

She turned to leave but paused before she reached the door, to face him again. "I am usually not one who listens to rumors...but people have been talking lately... Just out of curiosity, is it true that the sheriff reopened the investigation on that old accident?"

"It's true," the deputy confirmed with a nod.

"People say it's not a simple accident investigation anymore, and that J.R. is somehow involved in it."

Another nod. J. R. - for junior - was what Nolan used to go by back in his school days, and his old friends and classmates still called him that.

"Does it have anything to do with those strangers who came to town earlier this week?"

"In a way, but I'm afraid you will have to ask the sheriff if you want to know any details."

"Oh no, that's alright. I was just curious. Later."

She was almost out the door by the time he gathered the courage to call after her.

"Umm, Susan...I was wondering...can I take you out for a cup of coffee some day? Just to talk of course," he quickly added, hoping he didn't blush. "Catch up on old times you know."

She gave him a smile. "I would like that. After work; let's say 7:30?"

###

The phone ringing brought him back to his senses long after the young woman had left. _She really said yes, didn't she?_

He picked up and cleared his throat. "Sheriff's station, Deputy O'Brien speaking."

"O'Brien I need you to get over here ASAP ." It was the Perkins' voice on the other end of the line.

"Ah...yes, of course. How are things at the bookstore? What exactly happened?"

"Old man Morisson was trying to park in front of the store, confused the brake with the gas pedal and plowed through the window," Perkins explained.

"Did anyone get hurt?"

"No, luckily they weren't open yet. Understandably, Mister Morrison was a bit shaken up so I called the Paramedics just to be sure. I will need you to watch the store. See you when you get here."

"I'm on my way, Sheriff."

The deputy hung up the phone. Grabbing his hat on the way out, he headed for his car. The door to the building was never locked during the day. The idea of someone walking into the sheriff's station to steal something just seemed too outlandish.

This morning had been, to say the least, a bit awkward; with an uncomfortable silence looming over the station like a dark cloud. O'Brien had been almost glad when the phone rang, calling the sheriff away, but he knew that they couldn't stay out of each other's way forever.

##

"The phone number of the person who paged him that night? No, unfortunately he doesn't remember it. I asked him about that right after he showed me the vision."

"Oh well, I kind of figured." Heero told his friend. Even so, it was difficult to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He was sitting in the passenger seat of his rented jeep, with Duo driving, while he was talking to Quatre on his cell phone. The idea that Odin Lowe might actually remember who had paged him, had been farfetched, but worth exploring.

"I guess 15 years are a long time, even for a ghost. But I just had to ask."

"Sorry, Heero, I wish I could be of more help."

"Hey, you have been of more help than you can imagine. I hate to have to keep bothering you with this."

"It's not a bother, seriously," his friend assured him. "If there is anything else I can do don't hesitate to call, you hear me? I...we all are happy to help. Treize said not to worry about not being back when school starts again on Tuesday. He will explain things and make sure you receive a authorized leave of absent for however long you need it."

"Thanks I appreciate it. I will keep you in the loop. Talk to you later."

As Heero ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket Duo threw him a quick side gaze.

"No luck, I take it?"

"No," the young man confirmed. "I guess we will have to wait and see if the FBI can come up with anything on that pager."

Turning the corner on Main Street and Walnut, Duo noticed the crowd outside the Carter bookstore. "What's going on there?" he wondered.

His lover looked briefly across the street then shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe a new Harry Potter book came out."

"Na! Next one won't be out until next spring," Duo replied, earning himself a semi-amused, semi-surprised look from the other youth.

"What?" he asked. "You didn't think Wufei was the only intellectual friend you have, did you?"

A burst of laughter escapes Heero. "Harry Potter and intellectual, now there is something I didn't expect to hear in the same sentence. Especially not coming from you."

"Are you making fun of me?" his lover asked in playful annoyance.

"Would I ever?" Heero asked. He was about to add something else when a quiet chiming in his pocket indicated that he had just received a text message.

Pulling the phone out again he frowned slightly, because he didn't recognize the number the message had come from. The frown only deepened when his eyes flew over the lines.

_Even so you didn't come here for sightseeing, a visit to the old mines might be interesting. Especially for someone looking for an old car, an old Ferrari for example. _

###

It was only a short drive from to the bookstore. The ambulance was just arriving when he got there. Deputy O'Brien waited and let it pass before pulling into the parking lot next to the sheriff's jeep.

The little shop was surrounded by a number of spectators. He made his way through the crowd to where Perkins was talking to the owner of the store.

"Sheriff, Mister Carter." He greeted them with a nod.

"Well, I guess that's all for now, Mort," Perkins told the older man. "I am sure you have things to take care off. Deputy O'Brien here will keep an eye on things."

"Thanks Sheriff. Dale." Carter left them and walked over to the ambulance, probably to check on the old man who was like a grandfather to everyone in town.

"So, you just want me to guard the place, Sheriff?"O'Brien asked once they were alone.

"Yeah, stick around until the insurance adjuster comes by and the building inspector gives the okay for anybody to go back inside. Wouldn't want the roof to fall one someone's head, now would we?"

"Sure thing, anything else?"

"I believe Mort said he called someone to have the window boarded up until the new glassscreen arrives. Once that's done you can leave."

"Got it. Where are you going, Sheriff?"

"I have things to take care off. See you later at the station."

"Oh yeah," Perkins had almost turned away to leave when the deputy remembered the visitor they had earlier. "Sus..I mean Miss Carlton came by the station earlier to drop off the list you requested. I left it on the desk for you."

"Thanks, I will take a look at it. Anything else?"

"In fact, there is...um about last night, Sheriff. Umm... you were probably right, and I was completely out of line. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Perkins told him, but it didn't sound completely convincing.

###

As Duo stopped at the one and only traffic light in town, he gazed to the right. One look in his lover's face was enough to tell him that something wasn't right.

"What's the matter?" he wanted to know. "Bad news?"

"See for yourself." Heero turned his phone so that the other youth could see the screen. The expression on Duo's face mirrored his own, as he read the short message.

"What the heck? Where or what are the old mines?"

"Beats me. Pull over, will you?"

"Here?" The young man gave Heero a surprised look. They were, after all in the middle of an intersection, and he wasn't particularly keen about getting another ticket. "In case you haven't noticed, the sheriff's car is parked right across the street."

"Exactly," his lover replied. "Come on, let me out.

Duo shrugged. "Alright, but if I am getting fined you'd better be the one paying for it." He looked in the rear view mirror to make sure the street was clear, before backing up a few yards and pulling into the right lane.

#

"Park somewhere and meet up with me." Heero jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped, dashing diagonally across the intersection, breaking three or four traffic laws in the blink of an eye. But he managed to catch up to Sheriff Perkins just as he started his jeep.

"Sheriff!" he called out to get the other man's attention.

"Mister Yuy! Where is the fire?"

"You got a moment, Sheriff?"

"Well, yes I suppose." Perkins turned off the jeep's engine and braced his arm on the open driver window. "What can I do for you?"

"I need you to take a look at something." The young man pulled out his phone again, turning it on to show him the message.

#

Making a legal U-turn at the next corner, Duo Maxwell pulled into the small parking lot outside the bookstore. When he climbed out of the rental, he noticed the shattered window and the car half hurried by displays, books and large pieces of glass. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what had happened. The young man paused as he passed the deputy standing next to shop's door.

"Hey there, nice window decoration; a little messy, though."

"What does it matter to you?" O'Brien snapped back

"Wow, somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed or something," Duo huffed. "I was just trying to be friendly."

"Well, then why don't you pack up and go back to where you came from? We don't need your kind here, understood."

"And what kind would that be?" The young man asked calmly.

"The kind that's only looking for trouble."

"Listen Deputy," Duo gave the man his most charming smile. "What we are looking for isn't trouble, but the truth. Maybe if you would come down from your high horse and get that stick out of your ass, even you might realize that."

The deputy glared at the young man. For a moment his fists clenched, but then he relaxed again, growling: "Get out of my sight."

"And a wonderful day to you too, Deputy." Duo pushed his hands into his pockets as he casually strolled over to where his lover was talking to the sheriff.

#

Perkins had to squint to read the small letters on the screen.

"I will be damned." He gave a quiet whistle. 'When did you get this?"

"Just now, less than ten minutes ago," Heero explained. "You think it's from the same person who sent me the first note?"

"Possibly. Where did it come from?"

"I don't recognize the number. And it's not like a know a lot of people," the young man admitted. "But you should be able to trace it, shouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I suppose. I guess our anonymous informant has finally made the first mistake," the Perkins agreed. "I have a feeling he or she can tell us a lot more."

"What about the tip itself? You think you will be able to locate that Ferrari based on what we now know?"

"Fat chance."

###

"But what does that mean?" Treize Khushrenada asked, a few hours later when Heero told him about the newest developments over the phone.

"Well according to the sheriff, the original mines were depleted and abandoned in the early 1920s. They then started digging in a new area about 10 miles north. After the second world war the government wanted to buy the site to build some kind of military base. But after what had been done in New Mexico the Flynns decided they'd rather not have another testing site so close to home and they refused to sell the land. Until the 1990s that is. Nolan Flynn, the older had gotten himself into some trouble with the IRS and was forced to liquefy some of his assets to pay the fine and stay out of jail.

Anyway, to make a long story short, the military base was never build after they realized there just weren't enough water resources around, and building an aqueduct system would be too expensive."

"Not enough water, in the middle of the desert? Who would have thought?" The sarcasm in the professor's voice was hard to miss. "But leave it to the government to realize such minor details only after the fact. In any case that's an interesting piece of history, but more importantly if the land is owned by the government your sheriff should have no problem requesting a search warrant for those mines. And if the car is there, as indicated... "

"Yes," Heero confirmed. "It might take a while to cut through the red tape, but the warrant wouldn't be a problem at all, Sheriff Perkins said."

"And yet I feel another '**but'** coming."

"But..." Heero continued. "The mines have been sealed about a decade or so ago after there had been a few cave-ins. Perkins said that even if he justify spending the money and resources it would take to find the car, he wouldn't even know where to start looking. I looked at the plans. It's a labyrinth down there, miles and miles of tunnels. The Ferrari could be anywhere."

"Hmm... What about the tipster, was the sheriff able to trace the text message you got?"

"No," Heero admitted. "He called me back about thirty minutes ago. The message was sent from a prepaid phone that had been stolen from the local drugstore about a week ago. No way to trace it."

"That's too bad." Treize admitted thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I suppose this is where everything ends. Looks like we will be coming home on Monday after all." Heero sounded a bit disappointed. "But hey, I started out just trying to find out who my parents are...who I am... I got a lot further than that. I know I had a family who loved me and didn't just abandon me. I know that J didn't just kidnap me somewhere. So, I really shouldn't be complaining..."

"Hold on a minute, don't throw in the towel quite yet," the professor told him. "I know some people who should be able to help. Let me make a few phone calls and get back to you.'

###

"For someone who claims not to know too many people, you sure seem to have connections to the right ones, Mister Yuy."

Sheriff Perkins came by at the hotel about a quarter to five, on his way home from the station.

"What do you mean, Sheriff?" Heero gestured at one of the chairs in the living room. "Please have a seat."

"About an hour ago, not long after you had called me, I talked to a General Dermail from the Pentagon who gave us authority to enter the military territory that used to be Old Mines to contact our search take any necessary actions to retrieve the car, should we find it."

"Well, that would be the doing of my history teacher, as I explained to you earlier. He is the one with connections to the military, not me."

"In any case as soon as I was off the phone with the General, a Lieutenant Colonel Wagner called me from Kings Point to let me know that his Senior Cadets will be performing some training exercises on that land tomorrow."

"What kind of exercises?" Duo, who had walked into the room just moments earlier, wanted to know.

The sheriff shrugged. "From what I understand they will be practicing the use of radar and sonar equipment. But I guess we will find out tomorrow. He said they will be here first thing in the morning."

"Hmmm," the young man mused as he plopped onto the couch next to his lover. "I wonder what "first thing in the morning" means in military terms."

"I am not sure, but I have a feeling it might be a lot earlier than in civilian terms," Perkins relied.

* * *

TBC

Author's Note: Another chapter done. Hope you enjoy. Sorry for being a bit slow at the moment, but I promise after Christmas things will pick up again and I will post more frequently.


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 31**

He wasn't sure if it was the thunderous sound of helicopter blades passing overhead, or the ringing of his phone that woke him. Heero reached out, searching blindly for the cell phone on his nightstand.

"Hello?" His voice was heavy with sleep and his mouth felt like he had been chewing outdoor carpeting.

"Rise and shine, Sunshine; you said you wanted to come with me out into the desert."

"Ah, Sheriff, what time is it?" The young man swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, blinking away the laced traces of sleepyness.

"Almost 5:30."

On bare feet he shuffled to the door to the balcony, drawing away the heavy curtains to see a line of half a dozen large helicopters, the kind the military used to transport troops and equipment, heading south toward the desert.

"Where are you?"

"In the parking lot out in front. Are you coming or not?"

"Give me 10 minutes and I will be there."

"Alright, see you then."

As Heero turned off the phone he threw gaze toward the bed. His lover was sleeping peacefully. Which wasn't really that surprising. Duo always insisted that he could sleep through almost everything.

For a moment Heero considered waking him, but decided against is. Instead he headed into the bathroom to quickly brush his teeth and get dressed. He wrote a short note, and placed it on the nightstand where he was sure Duo would see it. But when he was tiptoeing out of the bedroom his lover stirred.

"Where are you trying to sneak off to?"

"You are awake?"

"That doesn't answer my question," Duo yawned.

"Just heading out to the old mines with the sheriff. Go back to sleep."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

Heero shrugged. "You were sleeping so peacefully and I didn't see any reason why we both have to be out there; I still don't."

"But I want to go." Duo declared as he pushed away the covers. "Hang on, will you?"

"Perkins is waiting outside," his lover pointed out. "Why don't you take the rental and catch up with us when you are ready?" he suggested.

"Fine," Duo agreed easily. "Then I have time to take a shower."

"I'll see you later then."

"What, not even a kiss good-bye?"

"Sorry," Heero apologized as he turned back to take his lover in a brief but affectionate embrace and kiss him on the lips.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I know."

##

The sheriff wasn't the only one out in the parking lot. Some staff members and a couple of guests who had been roused by the noise of the helicopters had stepped outside to see what was going on.

Perkins was talking to them, probably assuring them that nobody had declared war on Nevada, when Heero walked toward them.

"G'morning, Sheriff."

"Ready to leave?"

The young man nodded.

As they walked to the car, Perkins took a look up into the sky then back at the people who were now talking amongst themselves.

"By now half the town is probably wondering what's going on. O'Brien will have his hands full answering phones today."

"Does he know about this little 'military action'?" Heero climbed into the passenger seat after the sheriff unlocked the door for him.

"Just what he needs to know."

The young man nodded. It was pretty much what he had expected. He had noticed that Perkins had been a little short-lipped with his deputy ever since finding out that O'Brien's brother and Nolan Flynn had been friends.

They drove quietly for most of the 28 Miles. The sun had not fully risen yet when they passed a sign warning trespassers that they were about to enter military territory. There was no fence or gate across the dusty dirt road, nothing but the slowly fading metal sign.

The helicopters were sitting another mile or so south by the time the sheriff and Heero arrived. They could see about two dozen young men in military fatigue unloading boxes, crates and a few pieces of heavy equipment obviously meant for digging.

As the sheriff pulled up next to one of the large choppers, one of the men, somewhat older than the rest, separated himself from the group and approached them.

"Sheriff Perkins?" He greeted the man with a snappy salute. "I am Captain Hunter; you spoke to my superior I believe?"

"That's right."

"Then you know why we are here?"

"For some kind of training exercise and to find a car that may or may not be buried in one of the mine shafts below us."

"Well, we should know for sure in a few hours." Hunter replied before turning his head to face the younger man.

"And you are Heero Yuy, I presume. Major Khushrenada told me about you. "

"Correct, Captain. Nice to meet you." Heero shook hands with the man.

"If you will excuse me. I would like my teams to get started."

"Captain, if you don't mind me asking, you're not planning on digging your way through the whole mine, do you?"

Perkins asked.

"Not if I can help it. From what I understand the mines were not completely filled, but rather sealed by collapsing the walls near every entrance with explosive charges."

"That right," the sheriff confirmed. He had been here, watching when it was done. "And for good measurement they also set off some additional charger inside the tunnels."

Hunter nodded. Apparently he knew about that too. "We will be using some special radar equipment that has been developed specifically to find enemy targets and weapons stash points in mountains regions. A few feet of solid rock or debris are not a problem for our drones. If a mole has made its nest somewhere down there they can find it. Something as large as a car would be hard to miss."

"Impressive," Perkins declared. "Do you think it would be possible to take a closer look at those drones of yours?"

"Absolutely. But of course I would have to kill you afterward," the captain replied dryly. But then he broke into a wide grin. "Just kidding, Sheriff. I will have one of the cadets give you a little demonstration after we are done."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

#

As the Captain returned to his team the group assembled, and scattered again a few minutes later after listening to his orders. Everyone seemed to know what to do.

The crates that had been unloaded earlier contained four small remote controlled, flying, devices; the radar drones, Heero assumed. Each drone was assigned and area on a grid, and followed by several cadets with smaller, handheld units.

Meanwhile the rest of the young men readied the machinery that would be used later for digging.

Once everyone was at their position Hunter returned to where Heero and the sheriff were watching from a distance.

"Now what?" Perkins wanted to now.

"Now we will have to wait," the Captain replied.

"I guess then this might be a good time to call my deputy and make sure he has made it into the office yet."

As the sheriff went to his car to make the call Heero turned toward the Captain.

"So, you must know Professor Khushrenada well then?"

"I know him as Major Khushrenada, but yes. We served together in two tours of duty, he as Senior Officer and I'm as his second in command. You know, someone ones said leaders are not created, they are born. That is certainly true for the major. He has such foresight and such charisma, the men would have followed him anywhere. And they knew he would never ask anything of them he wasn't willing to do himself. I still can't believe he simple retired and became a civilian teacher. But hey, if that's what makes him happy."

"It certainly seems that way." Heero replied. "I'm not sure why, but for some reason he barely ever speaks about his time in the military."

"Yes, I can understand that. Lots of things happen that you don't care to remember, yet you know you won't ever be able to forget them. Like the time when out team was on patrol and we ran straight into an ambush. I lost my weapon and got pinned down on a patch of land as flat as a pancake. When the major realized that I was in trouble he had the team put down cover fire while he ran over to where I was lying. He tossed a couple of grenades to create a smokescreen, grabbed me and got me out of there...well most of me, anyway." The Captain held up his right hand and Heero noticed only then that it was not of flesh and blood, but instead a rather natural looking prosthesis. "It could have been worse." Hunter grinned. "I could have lost something important instead. But it **was** the end of active duty for me."

"Was that the incident in which Professor...I mean Major Khushrenada was injured as well?"

"No, that happened several months later. I'm sorry, I think I'm needed."

The captain had noticed one of his men approaching.

"What is it, corporal?" he asked.

The young man snapped to attention. "Captain Hunter, Sir, team one reported a find in the north end of their quadrant, Sir."

"Show me, Corporal," Hunter demanded, and with a nod in Heero's direction. "I'll be right back."

Not sooner than the Captain had left the young man noticed his rental jeep coming down the dirt road.

Parking directly behind the sheriff's car Duo Maxwell climbed out and stretched.

"What took you?" Heero asked as he walked over to him.

"I made a little stop along the way." The young man tossed his braided hair over his shoulder as he leaned into the back of the jeep to remove a carrier with four large cups of coffee and a big bag of donuts.

"I figured you hadn't had breakfast yet."

"Thanks." Gratefully his lover took a cup.

By now Perkins had finished his phone call and was joining them. Duo offered him the carrier.

"I got you one, too. I am sure you could use it today."

"God bless," the sheriff exclaimed as he helped himself to one of the drinks." I think I am starting to like you."

"Yeah well, all it takes is a little time to get to know me. I have been told I grow on people."

"So does fungus." Perkins pointed out dryly.

Duo just grinned. "Donut?"

The older man snorted even as he reached for one of the sugary concoctions.

"So, what did I miss?"

"Not much." Heero filled in his lover about what had happened so far, including the fact that one of the teams apparently had found something.

"That was fast." Duo sounded impressed, but it only lasted until Captain Hunter returned a few minutes later.

"Sorry, false alarm. One of the miners must have left his lunchbox down there or something."

Perkins frowned. "Lunchbox...car... With all so respect captain, it's a bit difficult to mistake one for the other, isn't it?"

"Yes. But **they**..." Hunter gestured over his shoulder at the cadets. "...don't know what they are looking for."

"They don't?"

"This **is** supposed to be a training exercise after all, wouldn't want to make it too easy, now would we?"

"Well, if you put it that way?"

"Coffee, Captain?" Duo offered the man the last of the cups in the cardboard tray.

"Thanks, don't mind if I do." The captain nodded. "You must be Duo Maxwell, the major mentioned you too."

"The one and only," Duo confirmed with a grin. "So, how long do you guys think before the press shows up wondering if this is the beginning of another Area 51 conspiracy?" The young man nodded at a small crowd of curious townspeople who had already started to gather.

"Yeah," the sheriff confirmed. "O'Brien mentioned that the phone has been ringing off the hook since he got to the station.

"Well, it's certainly no secret what we are doing here, right?" Captain Hunter replied. "But if they don't believe it we could always claim we are searching for Lee Harvey Oswald's secret weapon stash."

Duo laughed. "Now there is something that would put your town on the map in a heartbeat."

"Thanks, but no thanks. Last thing I need is for every conspiracy freak in the country to show up."

Hunter was about to add something, when the Corporal who had reported the earlier find hurried toward the group.

"Captain Hunter, Sir, we found something else. Team four located it in sector 12, Sir."

"What is it this time, a mouse trap, or a pair of boots somebody left behind?"

"No, Captain. This time it is big," the Corporal reported snappy. "By size I mean. It looks like it might be some kind of automobile."

Heero exchanged a quick gaze with the sheriff and Duo. _Could it really be?_

"Let's see, shall we," the captain suggested calmly.

#

The image on the radar control screen most definitely looked like that of a vehicle, a sports car, perhaps a Ferrari.

Heero had to force himself not to get too excited, reminding himself that even if they would be able to get to the car and it turned out to be Nolan Flynn's, that alone wouldn't proof anything.

They, that was the sheriff, captain Hunter, the corporal - his name was Brunner as they had learned - Duo and Heero, were sitting around a map planning on how to proceed from here. Or more precise Hunter was the one doing the planning while the rest of them just sat there listening.

"There are two entrances to the chamber where the car is located. This one..." He pointed at the map with a pen. "...is closer, but it looks the tunnel might be blocked by debris about 50 yards in, probably from one of those random explosions you were talking about, Sheriff. So, I think it makes more sense to take the longer route where we only have to did once." The captain gave Perkins a questioning look as so he was waiting for input.

The sheriff simply shrugged. "Whatever you say, Captain. It's your game. We are only here for the ride."

"Very well. Corporal! Get the machines ready."

"Sir, yes, Sir."

#

It took three bobcats and two dozen cadets with shovels less than an hour to break through the masses of stone and earth that clogged the entrance to the tunnel. Yet it turned into one of those very long hours, in which the seconds tiptoes by in a snail's-pace.

Once the opening was large enough, a probe was sent into the mine to make sure there wasn't any carbon monoxide or other deadly gases that could build up in a place like that over time.

By the time the all-clear came, it seemed like half the town had made their way into the desert. Which wasn't really that surprising, considering that for a Sunday morning when most people didn't have to work, this was probably the most exciting place around.

The sheriff finally pulled a roll of police tape from the trunk of his jeep and put it up between two of the helicopters to keep the crowd from getting to close.

"Sheriff, is it true you are looking for a dead body in the mines?" a lanky fellow with a digital camera over his shoulder called out.

Perkins huffed. "The only body I am interested in is that of a 1984 Ferrari GTO. So, don't you go around spreading wild rumors, Cole, you hear me?"

"How about a report for the press then?"

"There is nothing to report. Not yet anyway. Call me this afternoon and I can tell you more."

"Cole is the one man team who runs our local newspaper," Perkins explained to the Captain, Heero and Duo. "He will right about this no matter what, so I might as well set things straight."

"Are we ready to go inside? Hunter wanted to know.

The sheriff was about to concur when the police scanner in his car suddenly came to life.

"Sheriff, Deputy O'Brien here. Do you read?"

With a sigh Perkins reached for the transmitter. "I'm here, Deputy. Talk to me."

The connection was bad and full of static. O'Brien sounded like he was somewhere on Mars and not just 30 miles away. "...got a call earlier...body from the FBI"

"Come again?"

"From the ...deral Bureau of Investi..ion..."

"I know what FBI means, O'Brien. It's just that I can only understand every third word you are saying. Switch over to the emergency frequency."

"Okay."

A moment later the deputy was back and a little easier to understand now.

"So, what did the FBI want?"

"I'm not sure. She didn't say. Only told me she needed to talk...you. I gave her your number but she called back a while...ter saying she couldn't get through. I wrote down the ...umber for you."

"What's the name?" Perkins wanted to know.

"Ummm...I didn't really get that. It's a strange name, sounded like that card came..."

The sheriff frowned. "Poker?"

"No, I think he is referring to UNO," Heero remarked. They all were standing close enough to the jeep to listen to the conversation. "I assume it's Special Agent Une who called you."

Perkins looked at the young man. "Another one of your friends? Why would she want to call me?"

"I wouldn't really call her a friend. I met her before, but I am not sure how that relates to her trying to contact you. Maybe it has to do with the P.I.'s pager."

"Maybe," the sheriff agreed before raising the transmitter again. "I'll have to call her back later when I get back into town," he told his deputy. "There is no cell phone connection out here. Talk to you soon."

###

About ten minutes later the sheriff, Hero, Duo, Captain Hunter and two of his cadets entered the tunnel equipped with heavy flashlights, courtesy of the sheriff's departments and the military. The air was heavy, stale and filled with a musky smell, the ground covered with debris and dust a few inches high. Here and there the tunnel would narrow enough to force them to walk in a single file. It was not a good place for a person with claustrophobia.

Duo let his flashlight wander over the rock walls. "I wonder if there might be still any emeralds left down here. Hey, Captain, those radar drones of yours wouldn't be able to find some previously undiscovered gem deposits, would they?"

Hunter turned his head to look back at him with a grin. "Sorry, they might be state of the art, but one thing they can't do is tell one rock from the other."

"Oh well," Duo gave a theatrical sigh. "I wouldn't know what do to anyway if I would suddenly strike it rich."

The Captain laughed quietly. "I think I could come up with a thing or two that I would like to buy."

The tunnel went on for another 200 yards or so before opening up into a bigger chamber. Suddenly the sheriff's flashlight caught something large in front of them.

Heero stopped in his track. As the beam slowly wandered he could make out a deep front spoiler, red fender flares and the quadruple driving lights, typical for a Ferrari GTO.

Heero took a sharp breath. Those lights were dark and dead now, one of them shattered and crushed, but he still remembered seeing them coming toward his parent's car, alit like the glowing eyes of an enormous monster. That's what it was, a monster that killed his family and changed his life forever. No, he reminded himself. It wasn't the car, but the person who had been sitting behind the wheel that night, that was the monster.

Someone's hand touched his shoulder gently. "Are you alright?" Duo asked, and when he looked up he realized that everyone else was looking at him as well.

The young man cleared his throat. "I am fine," he declared. "Sheriff, this is the car that ran my father off the road."

"Are you sure?" Perkins had stepped closer and was studying the vehicle thoroughly.

"Positive!" Heero nodded.

"In that case..." Captain Hunter looked at him then at the sheriff. "My work here is done. It's all yours sheriff."

"Thanks Captain."

"Not a problem. We will be leaving then, unless you want us to open another tunnel. Looks like the one we came through won't be big enough to ever this car out of here."

"I don't think that will be necessary." Perkins shook his head. "We will cross that bridge when we get there."

"Well then," Hunter turned toward Duo and Heero. "It's been nice to meet you."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, too."

"Give my regards to the Major, and let him know I will come by some day to claim that bottle of whiskey he owes me."

Duo huffed. "You did all of this for a bottle of whiskey? Treize really is getting cheap in his old age."

"Oh no. This," the captain replied with a wave around. "I did for old times' sake. The booze he owes me from a bet we made a long time ago."

As Hunter and his men left Heero and Duo followed the sheriff who was now walking around the old car, letting the beam of his flashlight shine over every inch. The windshield was cracked but not broken which prevented the dust and stone powder from invading the inside of the vehicle. Heero bend down and directed his own light onto the driver's seat. He could see some shards of glass, from the rearview mirror as he quickly realized.

"What's that?"

"Where?" Perkins came around to check out what the young man was talking about.

Heero gestured at some small dark heap in the back behind the two seats.

"Hmm... Give me some light." the sheriff demanded and then, very careful, with the sleeve of his jacket pulled over his hand to not leave any fingerprints, he tried to open the driver door. It stuck a little but luckily it wasn't locked. He opened the door as far as he could and leaned over the seat. The space behind was tiny, too small to even fit the tiniest of back seats, but large enough to store a small bag, or in this case a pile of clothes.

With butt of his flashlight Perkins moved aside what looked like a pair of jeans to find some kind of shirt beneath them. Duo was pointing his own light through the dust covered rear window, providing just enough illumination for them to realize it was not a shirt but a jersey, a football jersey to be precise. It was blue and yellow with some letters in front that Heero could not read from where he was standing. But he clearly could see the large dark spots staining it.

"Is that blood?"

"Possibly." Perkins replied, his voice strained as he carefully maneuvered the shirt around, turning it over to reveal the number and name on the back. Once they became visible the sheriff took a sharp breath.

**24**, it read in the center of the back and above it in bold letters **O'Brien.**

The three men exchanged a long look.

"I think we will need a forensic team down here."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

**Snowdragonct** - I hope that was fast enough for you ;)

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 32**

"Did you have lunch yet?" Perkins asked as he walked into the sheriff's station about thirty minutes after twelve.

Behind his desk his deputy shook his head. "Not yet. I didn't want to stray from the phone for too long. I was just thinking of having something delivered when you called to tell me you are on the way back."

"Well, why don't you go now. And bring me back the usual, will you?"

"Sure, Sheriff."

Perkins walked toward his office but stopped before reaching the door.

"You and your brother both went to MVC, didn't you?"

O'Brien nodded, as he reached for his hat. MVC, or Mesquite Valley College was the nearest community college in the area. "I only went two years, though. I guess I wasn't cut out for college life."

"Not everyone is," Perkins nodded understandingly. "Patrick played football, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he was their quarterback."

"Ah, yes, I remember. Number 24, my lucky number, wasn't it?"

"His lucky number, too. I didn't realize you are a football fan, Sheriff."

"Not really, but I do watch college ball every once in a while." Perkins finally entered his office, closing the door behind himself. He hated lying to people he knew, but then he hated it even more when those people lied to him.

Tossing his Stetson onto the coat-stand by the door, the sheriff walked to his desk and slipped into the black leather chair with the high back and lumbar support his wife had bought him last year for Christmas.

For a few minutes he sat there thinking about what to do next, then he pulled the phone on his desk closer and reached for the paper with the notes his deputy had left him. He dialed the number for the FBI, pushed in the extension for the agent who had called him earlier and leaned back in his chair.

"Special Agent Une, this is sheriff Perkins. I understand you were trying to get in contact we me."

###

"Sheriff Perkins in?"

Deputy O'Brien simple pointed his thumb at the open door to the sheriff's office.

After coming back to town Heero and Duo had stopped to grab something to eat and briefly at the hotel before heading over to the station.

Perkins was on the phone but waved for them to come in and have a seat.

"Now, that's not really mine concern, is it? Why don't you file a complaint if you feel someone is stepping on your toes. I'm not sure what you so upset about, anyway? You never wanted to reopen this case in the first ace."

He listened for a moment and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, well you just do that. Good bye."

"That was the district attorney," Perkins explained after he hung up." He has his panties all in a knot, because the FBI is taking over the investigation. Maybe he is afraid they might wonder if all the re-election contributions he received from Nolan Flynn could have made him just a bit bias."

"The FBI is taking over?" Heero asked.

"Yes, that's what that female agent wanted to talk to me about. Turns out your uncle, once he got back home to Japan made a big fuzz about his brother's death not being investigated thoroughly enough and a crime possible having been swept under the rug. He also had his embassy call the state department, who then quickly looked for someone to blame. You could say a game of legal hot potato ensued between the different agencies. Nobody wanted to take over an old case like this."

"So I take it the FBI were the ones who in the end caught the potato?" Duo assumed.

"Bingo! And since Special agent Une already had some insight in the case she was appointed head investigator. She and her people are on the way to Nevada as we speak."

"Her people?" Heero echoed.

"Ah, yes I told her about finding the car and asked if she wanted me to start having it processed, but she told me she was bringing her own forensic team."

Just as Heero was about to ask when they would arrive in Cloverfields, he could hear the sound of a door opening behind him. Then footsteps sounded as somebody walked into the station.

At the somewhat surprised, somewhat amused expression on the sheriff's face he turned his head to see a man about twenty years his senior, wearing a pair of designer cowboy boots and a suit that screamed Saks Fifth Avenue. Heero had never met Nolan Flynn Jr. in person, but he had seen enough pictures of him to recognize him instantly.

"Mister Flynn, what brings you here?" Perkins voice was smooth as molasses as he rose from behind his desk. "And even without your lawyer. Does your father know where you are?" He crossed his office and stepped out into the main room.

Flynn turned to Deputy O'Brien, greeting him with a brief nod, then back to Perkins. "Sheriff. I was in town on my way back from the mines and couldn't help but overhear people talk. Some military maneuver went on in the desert, earlier today? It made me curious. And since I've heard you had been out there too, I figured you might be able to tell me more."

As Heero moved his lover reached out, putting one hand onto his thigh. Heero squeezed it briefly before gently pushing it away and rising to his feet. It was only then that Nolan Flynn seemed to notice him and Duo, who stood up right after him.

"Oh, I am sorry. I didn't realize you had visitors. Maybe this isn't the best time then."

"Don't worry about it," Perkins assured him. "I am sure, Mister Yuy and Mister Maxwell don't mind. Ah, that's right, you have never met, have you? Let me introduce..."

"I believe I know who he is." Flynn took a few steps toward Heero, extending his right hand. "I know this might be very late, but I would like you to know I am sorry about what happened to your parents."

For a brief moment Heero's jaws clenched but then he nodded and shook Nolan's hand. "Thank you, Mister Flynn."

The heir to the Cloverfield Emeralds turned his attention back toward the sheriff, never even acknowledging Duo Maxwell's presence.

"So, what's going on? Did the military change its mind and decide to build a base out in the desert, after all?"

"No, I don't think so," Perkins replied. "It was just a little training exercise from what I was told. But what a coincidence for you to stop by just when I was about to call you. You might not believe what the Marines found when they were out there combing through the old mines...your car, the Ferrari GTO that had been stolen. Who would have thought, huh?"

O'Brien's head snapped up. It was the first he heard of the find. Flynn on the other hand, did not seems as surprised as one would have expected under the circumstances.

"Is that so?" he replied, but didn't ask how and in what condition it had been found or when he was going to get it back. There was a long moment of silence before Nolan cleared his throat. "Sheriff, I believe I should make a confession. I probably should have told you this from the beginning, but... Well, this is kind of difficult for me. You see, I lied when I said the Ferrari had been stolen."

"Oh really?" Sheriff Perkins's voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Yes, you see, I actually loaned it to a friend."

"Oh? To whom?"

After a quick gaze in deputy O'Brien's direction Flynn looked back at the sheriff and declared. "To Patrick O'Brien."

"When?"

"The night that terrible accident happened." The answer came quickly and without hesitation. "You see, he called me. Apparently the guy he had been tutoring in Chemistry had canceled and he had the evening off. So he asked if I wanted to hang out or something. But like I told you the other day I was grounded and the last thing I wanted was to get into even more trouble with my father than I was already. He wanted to know if he could borrow the car. I figured he wanted to impress his girlfriend or something, so I agreed. It's what friends to, right? And it wasn't like I was going to need it that night anyway. He knew where I kept the spare key; it wasn't the first time that he had borrow the Ferrari."

Flynn paused until the sheriff nodded at him. "Go on, what happened next?"

"Next thing I remember is getting a phone call from him. He sounded confused, scared and drunk, telling me something about a terrible accident he had been involved in and someone might have died. He needed to see me right away. And I... I did the most stupidest thing. Instead of talking him into going to the police I thought I was helping him by hiding the car and telling my father that it had been stolen. I swear, I believed him when he said it was an accident. I was completely shocked when I've learned that he might have caused the crash intentionally."

The sound of a pencil snapping in O'Brien's hand had everyone turn their heads. The young deputy glared at Nolan Flynn, his face a mask of anger and disgust.

"You are lying," he spat. "My brother would have never done anything like that. Never!"

"Dale, I'm afraid you don't understand."

"Don't worry, I understand. Finally I DO understand. You have been using me all along so that you could concoct this story and blame my brother who can't defend himself. You are despicable."

"Maybe you don't know Patrick as well as you think you do. Everyone in town only wants to see him as this wonderful human being, the hero who bravely gave him life for his country. And don't get me wrong, in that way he is a hero. But there was also another side to Patrick, one that came out when he was drunk or high."

"Liar! My brother didn't do drugs."

"If you don't believe me, Sheriff, why don't you check with the police in Vegas," Flynn replied. "You should find records that Pat and I were arrested a few months before the incident. We got stopped for speeding and they found several packs of cocaine on him. My father managed to bail us out and hush things up, but it should proof that Patrick was not as squeaky clean as everyone thinks."

"You!"

O'Brien lunged forward, but Duo was next to him in a heartbeat, catching his arm before he could strike Nolan Flynn.

"Let go of me!" The deputy growled, as he tried to free himself.

"No. It's not worth it. **He** isn't worth getting yourself into trouble over," the young man told him. "You hit him, you might lose your job. **I** on the other hand..."

Then he turned. Flynn didn't have enough time to blink much less to protect himself before Duo's fist landed in his face. Nolan hollered in a mixture of surprise and pain as blood started to gush from his nose. Sheriff Perkins grabbed Duo from behind, restraining him before he got a chance to land a second blow.

Meanwhile Heero pulled a handful of tissues from a box on the desk and jumped to Flynn's aid.

"What the hell, Duo. What's were you thinking? Are you out of your mind?" He grumbled as he pressed the tissues against Nolan's nose, trying to stop the bleeding.

Flynn finally pulled back. Glaring daggers at Duo and Dale O'Brien he growled. "Sheriff, I demand you arrest this man. I will be filing assault charges."

"Are you sure that's really what you want to do?" Perkins replied calmly.

Flynn huffed, turned on his heels and stormed out of the station.

"This is not the end of this," he vowed before the door closed behind him.

The sheriff finally released Duo. "Yes, what exactly **were** you thinking?" He yelled. "Maybe I **should** lock you up, if for no other reason than your bloody stupidity."

"Sheriff," Heero replied calmly as he held up the bloody tissues. "Before you do, could you at least get this labeled and into an evidence bag, please?"

Perkins gave him a puzzled look and even Deputy O'Brien, who had been too surprised to move until now, blinked.

"Well, I figure once the FBI forensic team analyzes those bloodstains from the Ferrari they will need something to compare them to," the young man explained. "And I have a feeling that Nolan Flynn won't be handing a blood sample over easily."

The sheriff stared at Heero, then Duo and back to Heero. "You planned this?"

"No, most certainly not," Heero defended himself. "How were we supposed to know we would even meet Flynn. But I **do **know Duo. He would never lose his temper like this. So when he hit Flynn it could only have been for one reason."

"O'Brien take care of this 'evidence'."

"Yes, Sir." The deputy rummaged in his desk for a few minutes before pulling out a stack of evidence bags. He opened one, holding it out to Heero so that the young man could drop the tissues into it, then sealed the bag. As he went on to label it, Perkins pointed at Heero and Duo.

"You two, back into my office."

"Why do I feel like I have been summoned to the principal's office?" Duo whispered as they followed the sheriff.

"Sit down." Perkins closed the door behind them. "Just so we understand each other, as much as I appreciate what you were trying to do, I don't necessarily approve of the method you used," he snapped sharply, before added a lot softer. "But that said, another few minutes of listening to that pompous babbling and I might have decked him myself."

The sheriff dropped into his chair, folded his hands in front of his belly and looked at Heero.

"I take it you believe that the blood on Patrick O'Brien's jersey might not have come from him?"

"Well, it is possible," the young man shrugged. "Take this shirt I am wearing, for example. It's not mine, it's Duo's."

"It is?" His lover asked. "I thought it looked a little familiar."

"You see, this morning when you were waiting for me outside the hotel, I just grabbed the first clean shirt I could find rather than waste time looking for one of mine. I knew Duo wouldn't mind. Because ...as Mister Flynn put it... That's what friends do. And if I remember right from pictures I have seen, the two of them were roughly the same size and statue."

Perkins nodded as though he agreed. "So, what do you think about this story he told us, about O'Brien being the one driving that night."

"Patrick O'Brien had no reason, drunk or not, to confront my parents. As far as I know he wasn't even one of the people at the pub the night my father beat Nolan up."

"And of course," Duo added. "Not to forget that Patrick O'Brien is conveniently dead and can't deny anything."

"My thought exactly," Perkins agreed. "Still I am going to check out that story he told us about the drug bust in Vegas. Maybe my colleagues can shed a bit more light on that."

"Perhaps you should also talk to your deputy." Heero suggested.

"I will, but without anyone else present. "

The young man nodded. "Of course. If you wish we will leave now."

"I will let you know when the people from the FBI get here."

"Considering that we are staying in the only hotel in town, we might know before you," Duo pointed out.

##

"Deputy!"

The visitors had barely left when Sheriff Perkins called him into his office.

Dale O'Brien cringed even as he rose to his feet and crossed the room.

"Sir?"

"Close the door and sit down."

"Sheriff, I hope you don't believe that story Nolan was telling. He is lying. My brother had..." he started.

"Sit down, I said!" the sheriff interrupted him.

O'Brien swallowed a remark, shuffled into the office and settled into one of the chairs across the desk.

"You know it is funny that you would call Nolan Flynn a liar now, considering that only a couple of days ago you were convinced that he was completely innocent."

"I guess I was wrong. Sheriff, why didn't you tell me that you found his car out in the old mines?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Perkins voice was sharp even so he hated to do this. "By the way, the Ferrari was not the only thing we found."

O'Brien gave him a questioning look.

"Inside it was some bloodstained clothing," the sheriff explained. "A pair of jeans and football jersey with your brother's name and number."

"So, that's why you asked me those questions. And now you think Patrick was the one who drove that car that night?"

"I don't just think anything. But I wouldn't be doing my job if I wouldn't investigate that possibility. I'm sure you understand."

"Well, it couldn't have been my brother. Because he was at home that night, helping me with my homework."

"Dale! You can be sure I will go around asking people and if anyone saw Patrick that night... So, maybe you want to take a moment to think about it and then tell me if you know where you brother was."

The deputy dropped his gaze. "I don't know where he was. He was tutoring a couple of students in math and chemistry and on the nights when he didn't he would go out for a beer and a few rounds of billiard. but he certainly would be out there doing drug runs or anything else Nolan was suggesting."

"Very well. You may go, deputy. One word of advice, though. Stay away from Nolan Flynn. If I find out that you are as much as give him a dirty look I will have you badge and lock you up, understood?"

O'Brien hesitated for just one moment then nodded. "Understood, Sir."

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

**Happy New Year!**

**Jisa **- I do agree with you in every aspect. Unfortunately I have not been able to find a proofreader who can keep up with my crazy writing habits (sometimes writing several chapters a week, sometimes nothing for months) . Are you Volunteering ;)  
I do plan on going over the story and take notes of cross-over chapters, especially since now The Piano will cross into the last few chapters of Junkyard as well.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 33**

"Hey!"

Both Heero and Duo turned their head in response, to see who had called out to them. A young man was leaning out of the window of a grey pick-up truck. Heero almost didn't recognize him out of uniform.

"Deputy O'Brien what brings you out so early? Don't tell me the sheriff is making you tail us?"

"No, nothing like that. I live up on the hill. When I saw you guys leave the hotel I figured I should be able to catch up with you down here. I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh?" Duo panted. He couldn't believe how hard he was breathing after only a couple of miles. Maybe he should be joining Heero on his morning runs more often.

"I have been acting like a real ass-hole, haven't I?" O'Brien grinned sheepishly.

"Yep," the braided young man confirmed. "But I guess I can understand where you're coming from."

"Well thanks. About yesterday I mean. If you hadn't stopped me..."

"Aww, you got it all wrong. I didn't do that for you. I knew only one of us would get the chance to deck Flynn, and I wanted to be the one. And man," Duo grinned. "It felt good."

Now the deputy was grinning too. "I guess, I don't need to ask what you guys are doing out here at the crack of dawn. You know, the school's gym is open to the public. They have some nice exercise machines in there, if you really want to work out. Use them myself all the time."

"Thank," Heero nodded "A good run will do. Besides it gives us a chance to see a bit of the area while we're still here."

"Well in that case, hop in and I'll show you something really worth seeing."

Duo exchanged a look with his lover before calling out: "Shotgun."

Heero huffed but didn't argue. When O'Brien opened the passenger door he climbed into the narrow back seat, leaving the front to Duo. They drove for several miles into the desert until they reached a strangely shaped sandstone formation. The deputy climbed out of the truck first.

"You are not afraid of height, are you?" He asked.

It took only a few minutes to climb the rock. The top was flat and inviting. And there were plenty of signs of visitors before them, from half burned cigarette butts to initials carved into the soft stone.

"It's beautiful." Heero looked around. The desert reached as far as the eye could see. The morning sun gave the sand a golden hue. A few Joshua trees, and some cactus plants stood like somebody had placed them randomly across the landscape. It looked like a scene straight out of a cheesy old western. One almost expected a group of wild Indians or a herd of buffalo to come galloping into view.

"My brother used to take me here when I was little." The deputy settled down on the ground with his knees pulled against his body and his arms wrapped around them loosely.

Duo found himself a spot a few feet away. "You two were really close, weren't you? You and your brother, I mean."

"I don't remember much about my father. He died when I was only three. Patrick, barely a teenager by then, became the man of the house after that. He practically raised me while my mother worked double shifts to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. You know, Patrick could have gone to any number of colleges. He had half a dozen scholarship offers. And not only for his football skills. He was smart too. But he decided to go to MVC instead, to stay close to home."

"That sounds like a lot of pressure on a kid." Heero remarked quietly as he settled down next to his lover.

"I know what you are trying to suggest, but my brother didn't use drugs. I'm quite sure of it."

"Sorry. I guess you know him better than anyone else."

There was a long moment of silence until it was broken by a series of sounds somewhere between a bellow and howling.

"Wolves?" Duo asked as he looked around.

"Coyotes," O'Brien replied. "They are everywhere out here, sometimes come all the way into town."

There was the bellowing again, closer this time and followed by a series of sounds that were more high pitched and excited.

"Over there." The deputy pointed to the left.

At first Duo didn't see was he was gesturing at, but suddenly he noticed movement. There was a long legged canine, its fur almost the same color as the desert sand. And jumping around her two smaller coyotes a little darker in color. A mother and two pups.

"What are they doing?" Heero asked as they watched the pups bounce up and down while bellowing and yipping.

"Begging for food," O'Brien explained. Coyotes hunt mostly at dusk and dawn. She probably just got back with some prey."

"Amazing. I've never anything like this. I wish we had brought binoculars."

"Maybe some other time. Right now I need to head back into town, anyway. The sheriff will chew my head off if I'm late for work. I will take you back to hotel first."

###

True to his word, Deputy O'Brien dropped the two young men off in front of the hotel before heading home. A slender young woman was standing with the back to then at the reception desk as they entered.

"So, how do I get from here to the coffee shop?"

Heero recognized her voice instantly.

"Doctor Po?"

She turned, her surprised expression mirroring his.

"Heero?"

"I take it you came with Special Agent Une? Of course that makes sense. You must be part of the forensic team."

The young woman laughed. "Part of? You looking at the forensic team. Its only Une and I who came down here. I guess I should have know she wasn't talking about a gambling tour of Vegas when she mentioned we would be spending a few days in Nevada." Her eyes sparkled with mirth. Then they caught Duo Maxwell. "Oh, I don't think we met. I'm Sally Po."

"Sorry, doctor," Heero apologized. "This is my friend, Duo Maxwell."

The two of them shook hands.

"Nice to meet you Doctor, Po."

"I couldn't help overhear you asking for directions to the coffee house..."

"Yes," Sally confirmed. "I was going to set up my connections with my lab at home, but apparently the internet in the hotel here went down last night. The coffee shop apparently has wireless. Agent Une is there already to meet with the sheriff."

"If you can give us ten minutes to change into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt we'll be happy to give you a lift." Heero suggested. "You see the coffee shop not only offers free wireless, but also the best breakfast in town."

"Sounds great," Sally Po agreed. "I have to grab my laptop and stuff, anyway."

"So, tell me Doctor, how accurate are all those forensic shows on TV " Duo wanted to know as they took the elevator upstairs.

"Well, I guess they are doing the best to be as accurate as possible under the circumstances. Otherwise it might make for a rather boring show."

"I take it you heard about that car that was found in the mines?" He asked next. "I bet it's going to be a pain having to go over something this old."

"Actually I am kind of excited. From what I've heard that cave was sealed for more than a decade. A perfect time capsule I guess. It will be interesting to see what kind of effect that had on any of the evidence."

The elevator stopped at her floor and Dr Po stepped into the hall. "I will see you shortly," she said before the doors swooshed shut again.

#

Heero headed directly into the bedroom, grabbing a pair of jeans and a fresh shirt before moving on into the bath. He changed and brushed his teeth in record time, and splashed some water onto his hair in an useless attempt to tame the unruly mess.

When he walked back into the bedroom Duo was sprawled out on the bed.

"What are you doing? We're about to leave."

"Maybe you are," his lover replied with a yawn. "I am going back to sleep. You can't drag me out of bed at the crack of dawn and expect me to keep running all day. I'm not the energizer bunny, you know."

"Could have fooled me last night." Heero smirked as he leaned over the bed to kiss the young man good bye. "See you later then."

Sally Po was already waiting in the lobby, ending a call on her cell phone, when he came downstairs.

"Your friend isn't coming?" the young asked as she rose from the little two-seater by the window.

Heero shook his head. "He decided to get a little rest, instead. Are we ready?"

"I **am** if you are." the doctor confirmed with a nod.

#

The drive was short and uneventful, aside from the fact that Heero to park the jeep half a block away because every spot in front of the coffee store was already taken.

"I guess you weren't kidding when you said they have the best breakfast in town," Dr Po remarked as they tried to make their way inside.

The place was packed like Heero had never seen it before. Aside from the regular costumer he had come to recognize from his morning visits, he noticed a lot of people huddling over laptops and netbooks. In the back a group of men in business suites had taken over two tables cluttered with papers and files, as though they had set up an office away from the office.

As he looked around, Heero found the sheriff and special agent Une at a table at the far side of the room.

"Over there." He gestured for the doctor to follow him as he weaved his way through the crowd.

"Good morning Sheriff, Special Agent."

"Ah, Mister Yuy, we were just talking about you," Une replied. And then directed at Perkins. "Sheriff, this is Doctor Sally Po, one of our best forensic analysts."

"Nice to meet you, Sheriff."

"The pleasure is mine, Doctor Po"

The two of them exchanged handshakes, and Perkins removed his hat from one of the extra chairs.

"Have a seat, both of you," he suggested.

"What's going on, Sheriff?' Heero asked as he settled down next to the older man. "Are they giving out free coffee this morning?"

"No, but free wireless."

The young man looked around. "Does this mean the hotel is not the only place without internet this morning?"

"Oh no, it's pretty much the whole town. You see, here in Cloverfields you only got two options. Good old dial-up or DSL via a satellite provider. It's pretty reliable most of the time. But if it goes down..." Perkins left the rest of the sentence hanging in the air.

"But then, how can it be that the shop still has a connection?"

"Stroke of luck you could say. A couple months ago some cable company started to advertise for their faster and more reliable service. But before going ahead and digging up the whole town they wanted to see if they can wake enough interest to warrant the cost. They offered this place a year's free service so people can try it."

"That **is** lucky." Heero agreed, while Dr Po started to set up her laptop.

"So," the young man turned toward agent Une. "Now that the FBI has officially taken over the investigation, what will you be doing next?"

"**I** will make myself familiar with the details of the case while Dr Po will start to process that car down in the mines."

"Including the bloodstained clothing, I take it. I assume Sheriff Perkins told you that we secured a blood sample from Nolan Flynn Jr. for comparison?"

"He did," Une confirmed. "And..." She threw the young man a stern look from over the rim of her glasses. "He also mentioned **how** you managed to 'secure' said sample. As much as I sympathize with your situation, Mister Yuy, I'm going to say this only once. Do not interfere with my work."

"I'm sorry. Maybe I'm a little eager and impatient. But what do you expect me to do, sit in my hotel room, twirl my thumbs and hope that it won't take another 15 years before we find out who is responsible for my parent's death?" It was hard to keep an edge out of his voice. He had to remind himself that it wasn't Une's fault that the first investigation had let nowhere.

"Why not keep your mind off things for a while? Try to relax, take a drive into Mesquite? I've heard they have excellent golf courses."

"I don't play golf."

'Well then go visit one of the casinos, play some poker, win some money..."

Sally looked up from her computer, a tiny smirk on her lips. "From what I understand he already has more money than one can spend in a lifetime."

Une snorted. "Then fly to Vegas for all I care, go see the little white tigers. I'm quite sure you don't have one of those. Or better even, go back home and let **us **do our job."

"Sorry, I'm allergic to cats." Heero replied dryly. "And going home is not an option, at least night quite yet. I do promise, though, that I don't do anything that might jeopardize your case. The last thing I would want is for some high-priced lawyer to have this case thrown out because of my interference in the investigation."

"Very well," Une finally agreed, the faintest hint of amusement in her voice. "I don't like it, but I **do** admire your tenacity."

"Thanks. And if there is anything I can do to help...anything at all..."

"Anything, huh?" The corners of her mouth curved into a ghost of a smirk. "How about getting us some refills on our coffee then?"

"Yes, Sir." Heero gave a amused huff. "Or is it Ma'am?"

"Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch. But I'd prefer Special Agent."

###

Everything was quiet when Heero returned to the hotel suite, the door to the bedroom slightly ajar. Slipping off his shoes, the young man tiptoed to the door. The room beyond was draped in darkness. Heavy curtain on the windows filtered out nearly every ray of daylight.

Still, Heero was able to make out the prone figure of his lover sprawled across the wide bed. Dressed only in a pair of boxers, and partially covered by the sheets, Duo Maxwell was sound asleep.

Smiling, Heero stripped out of his jeans and climbed onto the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, and Duo stirred slightly but never woke. Cautiously the young man inched closer, huddling against his lover's warm body.

Eventually Duo seemed to sense his presence even in his sleep. His arm snaked around Heero's waist pulling him closer.

His head nestled against his lover's chest the young man closed his eyes with a content smile. It was easy to relax and forget everything around him when he was close to Duo. It didn't take long before he had drifted into peaceful slumber.

_"How is it going?" A strong but gentle hand placed on his shoulder caused him to look up at his father. _

_"Almost done," he replied. "I even wrote Happy Birthday, Mom, see!"_

_Heero...no Hiro, was sitting at a small table a colorful drawing, he had been working on, in front of him. _

_His father laughed and ruffled his hair. "Your B is facing the wrong way. Look how I wrote it." He gestured at a piece of paper from which the boy had copied the words."But don't worry we can easily fix it. Where is the eraser?"_

_Rummaging through his pencil box Hiro finally found it and handed it to his father. _

_"Did you get the necklace?" _

_"Shhhh!" Hiroshi put his finger over his lips. "Not so loud, Mom will hear you," he warned. "Yes, I got it."_

_"Can I see?"_

_"Sure." With a look over his shoulder at the door Hiroshi pulled a small jewelry gift-box from his pocket and opened it. Inside lay a delicate golden necklace with small diamond pendant._

_"You think Mom will like it?" "_

_"She will like it." Little Hiro nodded earnestly. "I think she will like my picture more, but that's okay."_

_His father laughed as he slipped the present back into his pocket. " Now remember you can't tell her until tomorrow."_

_"I know." The boy nodded. "It's our secret." _

_"What secret?" His mother's voice suddenly came from the door. _

_"Nothing." Quickly Hiro covered his drawing with both hands. "You can't come in, Mom.."_

_"Alright, alright, I won't," Joyce chuckled quietly. "I just came to tell you guys dinner is ready. It's your favorite lasagna. You better hurry before I eat it all myself."_

_"Yum." Hiro squealed as he jumped up and dashed to the door. "I'll race you!"_

_"No running in the house, Hiro." His mother called after him. "And don't forget to wash your hands." She sighed and exchanged a look with her husband who simple shrugged. _

_"He is **your** son."_

_"Oh, now he is **my **son?" Joyce laughed. "I distinctively remember, this morning when he smacked that baseball all across the playground you called him **your **son."_

Heero woke slowly. He could hear the sound of running water, and when he finally opened his eyes he realized the bed beside him was empty. The young man rolled on his back. Interlacing his fingers behind his head he smiled softly as he reveled in the memory of his dream.

A few minutes later the shower was turned off. Duo tiptoes into the bedroom, a bath towel wrapped around his hips.

"Finally awake, sleepyhead?"

Heero snorted. "You've got to be the one talking. I could have come in here, steal the sheets right from under your ass and you still wouldn't have woken up."

"Maybe I was hoping you would try to do just that?" His lover grinned. But then he grew serious. "You were talking in your sleep. I was almost considering waking you, but it didn't really sound like a nightmare."

"No nightmare," the other youth confirmed. "I had another dream, or maybe a memory from my childhood."

"Oh?"

"It was the night before my mother's birthday. My father had bought her a necklace and I had made her birthday card. In the end she almost caught us when she came upstairs to tell us that dinner was ready... Speaking of which...I suddenly feel like lasagna, but I don't think there is a Italian restaurant in town."

"We can always drive down to Mesquite."

"I guess. Mind if we take a short detour, though?"

* * *

TBC

Author's Note: Another chapter closer to solving this case. Hope you enjoy.

With this being the end of the year, I am making my "writing" resolutions for the next year, as I always do. And since we will be entering the Year of the Dragon soon according to the Chinese calendar, what better opportunity to give a bit of attention to the one GW boy who I have been neglecting lately. After I finish Junkyard, the Piano (which will have less than a dozen chapters) and an even shorter Side Story focusing on everyone's favorite ghost, my main story for 2012 will be... *drum roll* The Dragon King. (anyone interested in proofreading?)  
But since my muses seem to suffer from ADHD, I doubt they will be able to concentrate on just one story. So I am also hoping to get some work on my other project done. Maybe finish Purrrfect Houseguest and Sugar and Whips.  
Ok I'd better stop before my author's notes become longer than the chapter itself.


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 34**

"Doctor Po?...Doctor?"

Sally nearly jumped when someone touched her arm from behind. She had been leaning over the front seat of the Ferrari with a small black-light, searching for any bloodstains she might have overlooked earlier. When she jerked back her head hit the roof of the car with a thud. Swallowing a curse, the young woman rubbed her skull as she fully emerged from the vehicle.

"Oh, Deputy."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but you didn't seem to hear me when I called out to you," the young man stammered.

With an apologetic gesture Sally pulled a set of headphone buds from her ears. "Sorry, I always listen to music when I am alone. Is there something you needed?"

"Umm...yes, I have your boss, I mean Special Agent Une on the radio now. You wanted to talk to her?"

"Ah yes, thanks." The young woman put down the black-light stick and turned off the iPod she was carrying around in the pocket of her lab coat.

After taking her and Special Agent Une out to the mines, Sheriff Perkins had ordered his deputy to stick around to assist her and give her a ride back into town after her work was done for the day.

He seemed like a nice young man, very quiet, and he was definitely interested in what she was doing, even though he tried very hard not to show it. He had helped her to set up her equipment, and by now the little dark cave was filled with enough lights and cameras to rival a movie set.

She followed him outside to the jeep, and picked up the microphone to the police radio.

"Special Agent Une? Sheriff?"

It took a few moments before Une's voice came back over the receiver.

"I'm here, Dr. Po. How are things going? I hadn't expected to hear from you so soon. You've got some results already?"

"Not exactly. But I found something I thought you would want to know," she replied.

"Oh? What's that?"

"This car had a phone."

There was a moment of surprised silence. "I don't remember seeing a phone."

Une had looked over the car before she and the sheriff drove back into town, but of course she hadn't taken the time to thoroughly examine it.

"You wouldn't have," Sally told her. "Because it's gone. "Someone removed it, along with the car stereo. Probably to create that appearance that the vehicle really had been stolen. But that phone should have been registered to the car's owner. Since we didn't have any luck with that pager, I figured...if we would be able to prove that a call was made from the car phone to Lowe..."

"I'm on it," Une replied. "Let's hope the phone company's records are going this far back. I already called the judge to let him know I will have a number of subpoenas to sign for him in the morning. And by the way, I also spoke to the police department in Mesquite. They have a small laboratory they are willing to let us use for the next few days."

"That would be great; a lot faster than having to overnight everything to our own lab. Not to mention I will be able to do the tests myself."

"I figured you would feel that way. However, I already asked them to process the blood sample we have of Nolan Flynn Jr. I was assured, though, there would be enough of the sample left for you to do your own test later on."

"Thanks, I appreciate that. This is one case we need to be sure we cross every T and dot every I."

"Exactly my thought," Une agreed. "I will be here at the sheriff's office if you need me. How much longer do you think will it take you?"

"A couple more hours and I should be done for the day."

"I will see you later at the hotel, Doctor."

"Yes, Sir." Before Sally could put the mic down another voice jumped in.

"Doctor Po, is my deputy somewhere nearby."

"I'm right here, Sheriff." The young man had been leaning against the hood of the jeep, as though unsure if he should listen in on the Doctor's conversation or not.

"Deputy, what happened to that list Miss Carlton brought in the other day?"

"I put it on your desk. It should be right there unless you moved it."

"We need to write a short statement for the insurance company. I guess they want to be sure there really was a police report of the break-in before paying for the damage."

"I will take care of it when I get back to the station, Sheriff"

"Tomorrow will be soon enough. Their office isn't open today anyway."

"Understood, Sir. I will see you later."

###

He did not realize it, but Heero was being watched. From across the street, sitting in the passenger seat of the rental jeep with the door wide open, Duo Maxwell had been following his lover's moves for a good while now.

Something was different he could tell the moment they arrived at Raven's Cross.

Yes, it was still the same old stretch of empty, dusty road with the little roadside shrine and the makeshift memorial. Of course the flowers and wreaths left at their first visit had wilted and the incense sticks had long since burned down. But Heero had bought new ones at the little flower shop in town, along with a large bouquet of yellow and red tulips.

He had removed the dried out wreaths and wilted flowers and replaced them with the tulips. Now he was kneeling next to the shrine lighting the incense. And it was then that Duo realized what had changed. There was an expression in Heero's face that he hadn't seen before, something that could only be described as grief.

When they came here for the first time, Heero's emotions seemed in turmoil but without a real sense of loss or sorrow. With his returning memories also came pain. Or so it appeared. Duo was no shrink but even he realized that it was difficult to accept someone's death without grieving. So maybe, in spite of pain and sadness, this was a phase Heero had to go through if he ever wanted to find closure. But that didn't mean he had to do it alone.

Slowly Duo climbed out of the jeep, adjusted his baseball cap and strolled across the street. He laid his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

His lover reached up to cover the hand with his own as he looked back over his shoulder. "I'm fine," he assured. "Or at least, I will be." A tiny smile crossed his lips. "So what about that Lasagna dinner? I am starving."

"And here they say I am the one always thinking with my stomach." Duo gave an amused snort, and for a moment there he could have sword he felt a cool but gentle breeze pass over their heads, like someone's tender touch. But then again, it was normal for the temperatures to drop and the wind to pick up just before dusk.

###

"Deputy...?" Sally Po turned her head, looking at the young man from the side. "Please don't get this wrong, but did I do or say anything to offend you?"

O'Brien threw her a quick look, apparently surprised about the question. They had left the old mines a good ten minutes ago and were heading back into town. "No, of course not. What makes you say that?"

"Well let's just say it felt like you have been going out of your way trying to keep your distance."

"Hmmm." The young man turned on the headlights. In the desert dusk settled quickly and it was easy to veer off the road in the dark.

It was true he had spent most of the time out in the jeep while she was working, but... "It has nothing to do with you, Doctor Po. I assure you. I just figured it would be best for me to stay away from the car and the evidence if I could."

Sally blinked. "Why?"

Now he looked even more surprised. "Sheriff Perkins didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"The bloody shirt in the back of the Ferrari, the one you are taking back to the lab right now... It belonged to my brother. He and Nolan Flynn Jr. used to be friends."

The doctor looked down at the bag full of evidence, standing between her feet. "Deputy O'Brien,..? Of course! I never even made the connection after all O'Brien it is a very common Irish name if I'm not mistaken. And no, the sheriff didn't mention it. "

There was a moment of awkward silence before the deputy spoke again. "Doctor, I am sure my brother was not involved. Flynn is just trying to use him as a convenient scapegoat, by saying Patrick borrowed the Ferrari that night. If you are able to establish the blood on the jersey came from Nolan, it would prove my brother is innocent, wouldn't it?"

Thinking about it for a moment Sally shrugged. "I don't think it's quite that easy. I'm sure a good lawyer could come up with any number of reasons why Nolan Flynn's blood would be on the shirt. And from what I understand he can afford to bring in one of the best lawyers. I'm sure they will try to discredit any evidence we will come up with."

"I guess you are right." O'Brien admitted soberly.

"I said they will try," Sally gave the young man a little smirk. "But that doesn't mean we have to let them."

##

The sun had completely set by the time Dale parked the Jeep next to the sheriff's. He had dropped Dr. Po off at the hotel before heading back to the station, stopping only once on the way to exchange a few words with Doc Fletcher's wife outside the grocery store.

Light was shining through the windows of the building, an indication that Perkins was still working.

"I'm back, Sir," he announced as he walked through the front entrance.

There was no answer. He could see light from inside the sheriff's office, through the slightly ajar door.

The deputy put his hat down on his desk

"Sheriff?" He called out once more, and then with a frown crossed the room. The door was only open a few inches, not enough to let him see much of the room behind. He knocked before pushing it open further. The office was empty.

O'Brien's frown deepened. There was no way the sheriff would have left without turning off all the lights. Besides, his car was still outside. He was probably just somewhere nearby.

Just as he was about to turn around and return to his desk his eyes caught a piece of paper in the tray of the fax machine that was sitting on the little printer stand by the window. The fax must have just come in.

The young man hesitated for a moment before curiosity got the better of him. With a quick look back at the front door he entered the sheriff's office. He reached for the fax, recognizing the seal in the letterhead instantly. It was a police report sent over from their colleagues in Las Vegas, a very old police report.

His eyes flew over the paper, his jaw tightened. Then there was a noise. He could hear someone's footsteps on the gravel road outside. Slipping the fax back into the machine before dashing out of the room the deputy made it just in time before the front door opened.

He turned his head, pretending that he was just about to knock. "Ah, Sheriff, there you are."

"When did you get back, Deputy?" Perkins asked.

"Just a few moments ago. I was about to look for you."

"I was just across the street. Brittany went into labor this afternoon. And with her being pregnant for the first time and all, the Kelly's were a little worried. "

"Brittany?" The deputy frowned. "I didn't even know the Kelly's had a daughter."

"Not their daughter," Perkins huffed. "Brittany is their spaniel. You have seen her before."

"Ah yeah the cute white and brown one who always seems to know when you are bringing leftover meatloaf for lunch."

"I'm thinking of getting one of the puppies for Adele. It's going to be a surprise. So don't tell her."

"Are you sure she wants a puppy? It's a lot of work."

"Yeah, she likes that kind of thing. It will give her something to fuzz over while I am at work. Speaking of which. Time to call it a day. I will need you to drive that Doctor over to lab in Mesquite. Call her to see when she wants to be picked up."

The young man nodded. "Yes, Sir. Anything else."

"Not that I can think of. I'll call you if anything comes up."

###

"Sheriff?" The door to the sheriff's station flew open and a man, 6' 8 and thin as a yardstick whirled through the room right into Perkins office. "What in the world were you thinking, Sheriff?"

"And a good morning to you too, D.A. Brown."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a good morning being woken by a phone call from Judge Wagener who wants to know if I am aware of the subpoenas for Nolan Flynn's phone and financial records. What do you think you are doing, Sheriff?"

"My job, I believe." Perkins replied calmly. He didn't bother to offer his 'visitor' a seat.

But then, the district attorney seemed too riled up to have accepted one anyway.

"Your job?" The man echoed. "Perkins, don't you realize you will be lucky to still have a job if this is done and over with. Didn't you learn anything from the last time you made wild accusations against the Flynn family?"

"If I remember correctly they weren't exactly wild accusation. But that aside, you are barking up the wrong tree. As you know already, the FBI is now in charge of this case..."

"The FBI?" Brown snorted. "Get serious. They have no more interest in pursuing a case as cold and ancient as this one. Yes of course, they will put on a bit of a show. But mark my word. It will lead nowhere. Why do you think they only sent two skirts down here? None of their male colleagues probably wanted to be bothered with this. The way I see it..."

Someone cleared his throat behind him and the DA turned his head.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Perhaps I should introduce." Perkin's voice was thick with sarcasm. "D.A. Brown, please meet special Agent Une. One of the 'skirts' you were referring to."

Brown's face turned red for a moment but he managed to pull himself together.

"Are you the one who requested those subpoenas? I can see you are still rather young and at the beginning of your carrier. It would be a shame to make a mistake that could potentially damage your chances to ever advance. "

Une's eyes narrowed. "I hope this wasn't supposed to be a threat. I don't respond well to threats."

"I don't think you understand, Dear." Brown smiled smoothly. The flash in Une's eyes should have warned him. But like most self-important people, who liked to hear the sound of their own voice, he paid little attention to others. " Mister Flynn is a very important and influential member of this community. So why don't you do yourself a favor, sweetheart..."

"No, I don't think you understand, District Attorney." There was an edge in the woman's voice sharp enough to cut diamonds. "I'm not your Sweetheart or Dear. It's **Special.**.. **Agent**... **Une.** To make one thing perfectly clear. I don't like bullies, I don't like threats and most of all I don't like your chauvinistic attitude. I'm not scared because Mister Flynn, senior or junior for that matter, is, as you put it, an influential person in your community. To me right now he is a suspect. If would make no difference if he was Donald Trump or the president himself. I was sent here to do a job and I expect to be fully supported by local authorizes; that includes **you**. Because if you don't..." She took a step forward making Brown back off in response. "... I can have two dozen agents in your office by the end of the day, investigating you and your affairs so thoroughly that by the time they are done they will even know how many hairs you have growing on your ass. Did I make myself understood?"

The DA swallowed, his face gone from pale to grey. He opened and closed his mouth a few times like a beached fish, before he was finally managed a reply. "This is... I don't have to take this kind of insult. I'll be talking to your superior. "

"As I told you already," Une replied calmly. "I don't scare easily. And now if you would excuse me, I have work to do."

With a last huff and a glare in the sheriff's direction brown turned on his heels and hurried out of the station.

For a few moments it was so quiet one could have heard the proverbial pin drop.

"Wow!" Perkins finally exclaimed. "You don't hold back any punches, do you?"

"I don't see why I should. Never been one to pick fights but I won't walk away from one either." Une replied with a shrug.

"Well next time you feel like jumping at someone's throat give me a little warning?"

"So you can leave the room and keep your nose clear?"

Perkins huffed. "So I can get out my camera and film it."

She gave him a tiny smirk.

"You do realize he really **will** call your superior, right?" The sheriff pointed out.

"Yes. And I would love to see the look on his face when he realizes she is a woman, too."

###

"Sounds like things really are progressing."

"Indeed?" Heero agreed. He had turned on the speaker so that Duo, who was lounging on the couch, could also hear Treize.

"Does that mean you will be returning home sooner rather than later, than ," the professor asked. Heero had just finished telling him about the arrival of the FBI the day before and how Une's actions seemed already to give some people cold feet.

"It's funny you would say that. Duo and I were just talking about that. Une would prefer that we left anyway. And it's not likely our help here will be needed anymore. Besides, I really think I should talk to Odin Lowe. If not for him and those first memories he stirred in me...I might have never found out who I really am and what happened to my parents. I need to thank him before it is too late."

"Too late?" Treize echoed.

"Well yeah, you know... I mean from what I understand, don't ghosts usually disappear after...well after their mission is complete?" _I can't believe what I am saying. A couple of months ago I would have declared anyone who thought ghosts were real a nutcase._ _But then a couple of months ago I didn't really know what I know now. I wonder what J would say if he could hear me right now._ "So, if his whole agenda was to make sure the person or people responsible for my parents death are exposed..."

"I think what he is trying to say is that he is worried Lowe might go poof on him before he has a chance to properly say thanks," Duo threw in from the couch.

"You know," Treize suggested "you could always ask Quatre. I'm sure he would be more than happy to visit the junkyard one more time for you."

"I'm sure he would. But this is something I should...no I **need** to do myself."

"Understandable," Treize agreed."So, when can we expect you two back?"

"Not sure yet, maybe in a few days. But say, I remember Wufei mentioning something about you guys going to museum together. Wasn't that today?"

"It was," the professor confirmed. "We got back about an hour ago."

"How was it? Anything interesting?"

"Interesting, yes most certainly, but maybe not in the way you think."

"Oh? that sounds rather curious. What happened?"

"It's a long story, really."

"That's alright," Duo remarked. "We are not planning on going anywhere anytime soon."

"Oh what the heck, why not. Not like we are going anywhere either. Although, Alexander might be more suited to tell you the story than I am."

"Alexander? You took him with you to the museum?"

"Took him, and almost lost him there." Milliardo threw in from somewhere in the background. Apparently Treize was also using his speaker phone.

"Wow, now I really need to know what happened," Heero replied.

"Yeah," Duo urged impatiently. "Are you going to start or are you going to make us beg or something?"

###

"What are you still doing here?" Sheriff Perkins had assumed that he was the last person in the station after Special Agent Une had left about 30 minutes earlier.

They had spent most of the day in the office going over old evidence and copying reports, while Dr Po and his deputy were at the police lab in Mesquite.

"I just dropped the doctor off at the hotel and came back to type up the report for the insurance company. Shouldn't take long."

Perkins nodded. "Close up when you done. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, Sir. Good night."

"Good night, Deputy."

As he walked to his car ,the sheriff pulled out his cell phone and dialed Heero Yuy's number. The line was busy and he was redirected to the voice mail box after a few moments. He considered leaving a message but then decided that it wasn't that important. He would most likely see the young man at the coffee shop in the morning. What he wanted to ask him could wait until then.

#

Once he was alone Deputy O'Brien turned his attention back toward the keyboard. From outside he could hear the sheriff's jeep drive away.

His eyes went over the handwritten list, comparing it to what he had typed up already, and he couldn't help but notice how tidy the lines were. It was easy to read them. _Must be a girl thing_, he mused. _My handwriting has always been terrible. _He remembered his English teacher joking about having to sent his tests to a forensic lab because they were so hard to decipher. _And Sheriff Perkins...well his penmanship is even worst._

Susan's style was very clean and flowing , her As, Ms and Ns rounded on the top instead of pointy... The young man frowned as he suddenly realized the familiarity in those letters. He had seen them before, on a different piece of paper.

Turning his chair around he faced the little filing cabinet next to the door to the sheriff's office. _No, it couldn't be, could it? _He hesitated, unsure if he really wanted to know, before finally rising to his feet. The cabinet was locked but the key "hidden" in an empty coffee can just above it.

Dale unlocked the top drawer, looking for the grey evidence folder Sheriff Perkins had been keeping for his own records. It held a copy of all the papers and reports linked to the Ogiwara accident. Including a photo copy of a small piece of yellow note paper.

As he read the words scribbled onto that piece of paper he could feel his stomach tighten. Part of him wished he had never made the connection.

But then an expression of determination crossed his face. He slipped the photocopy into his pocket, relocking the filing cabinet before heading back to his desk.

###

Susan Carton had just stacked the last plates into the dishwasher when the doorbell rang. Her father was sitting at the table reading the newspaper like he always did after dinner, while she and her mother tidied up the kitchen.

"I wonder who this could be?" Her mother looked at the door.

"I got it." Susan dried off her hands as she crossed the room. "Maybe someone needs a prescription filled."

As she opened the door she blinked in surprise. "Dale? What are you doing here?"

"I...um..." The young man swallowed nervously. "I wanted to say I'm sorry about the other night, inviting you for coffee and then not being able to make it, I mean."

She smiled softly. "It's alright. I already told you on the phone, your job comes first. I can't believe you came all this way for that."

"Actually... It's not the only reason I am here."

"Oh? Then why..."

"This is why." He pulled the photocopied paper from his pocket, holding it so that she could read it. "**You** left this note at the hotel, didn't you?"

* * *

TBC

Author's Note:


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Chapter 35**

Her eyes widened slightly and her shoulder slumped.

"You know, I have been waiting for someone to knock at my door for the past 15 years. I just never thought that it would be you of all people," Susan Carlton said. "Did the sheriff sent you?"

Deputy O'Brien shook his head. "The sheriff doesn't know about this. I came because I want to know...I **need** to know..."

"Should we go inside?"

The young man nodded, following her into the kitchen as she lead the way.

"Mister Carlton, Misses Carlton," he removed his hat and greeted the couple politely.

"Oh, it's you, Dale. What a surprise, it's been a while since you came by," Susan's mother smiled at him. "How have you been?"

"Fine, just fine, thank you." he told her, feeling more than just a little awkward.

"Still in uniform? Don't tell me that sheriff is making you work this late. And you look like you have lost weight, Dear. Have you had dinner yet? If you want, I can heat up a plate of stew for you."

"Debra, will you stop fussing over the boy. He is old enough to take care of himself."

Debra Carlton gave her husband a glare. "I'm sure he is also old enough to speak for himself."

"Um...Thanks but I'm not hungry. I just came by to talk to Susan."

"It's about the break in," she lied as she ushered him toward the stairs. "We will go upstairs."

Susan sighed as they climbed up to the first floor where she was living. "Sorry about that. Mother is always that way."

"Don't worry about it."

"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked as she showed him into her living room and gestured at the couch. "Please, sit down."

"I'm fine," he assured her. "Susan, tell me the truth. did my brother have anything to do with that accident? Did he drive Nolan's car and kill those people?"

"Patrick? How can you even think something like that?" She looked more shocked now than she did when he had shown her the note. "You should know better."

"That's just it. I **don't** know. Sometimes I am not sure anymore if what I remember about Patrick is how he really was or just some glorified image of him I created in my mind." he admitted, staring down at the hat in his hands. "Nolan told the sheriff that my brother borrow the Ferrari that night."

"And you believed him?"

"He also said that Patrick had been arrested for possession in Vegas a few months earlier. The sheriff checked up on that and it turned out to be true. I saw the arrest report the Vegas PD faxed over."

"Dale," she told him firmly. "Your brother did not drive that car. And he was not into drugs either. If there is anything he is guilty of it's not knowing when to tell a friend 'No'."

"Then tell me what happened? You know, don't you? How did my brother's bloody jersey end up in the Ferrari, and where was he that night?"

"He was with me. You believe me, don't you?"

"I believe you would say something like that to protect him." His voice was bitter. "I called that night. I had a question about my homework. Nobody answered; not at your house nor at the store."

"Dale I'm not lying to you. He was here with me, in this very room, watching TV until J.R. called. It must have been around nine. He asked for Patrick. They spoke for a few minutes, and when he hung up Patrick told me J.R. had been in an accident and needed help. I told him to call the police but he said he could not. He asked if he could borrow my father's car - my parents were out of town for a couple of days. I told him I was going to go with him. I took a first aid box from the store and Patrick grabbed his gym bag with his spare uniform that he kept at my house.  
J.R. was waiting for us just outside of town. He was bleeding from a cut on his forehead and kept yelling at Kimberly who was crying to shut up."

"Kimberly?"

"McKenzie. His girlfriend back then. They lived down by the old schoolhouse, you know."

O'Brien nodded. He remembered the McKenzies, but he didn't recall their daughter's name. "She was with him?"

Susan Carlton nodded. "She was a mess, crying hysterical. I told them I was going to take her home while Patrick took care of J.R. When she told me that there had been another car involved in the crash it was the first I heard of it. She was too scared to talk to the police, but I made her call Doc Fletcher's office from the car phone and report the accident. Dale..." she looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes. "You have no idea how many times I have been thinking about this day. How often I've wondered if it would have made any difference if we would have called the police right away. Maybe those people could have been saved..."

"I doubt it," he told her. "From what I heard the Doc tell Sheriff Perkins I seriously doubt it. But you know you do have to talk to the sheriff now, don't you?"

She nodded soberly. "I know."

###

"I don't know exactly what J.R. told Patrick, but I can't imagine that Patrick would have helped him, friend or not, if he had known that J.R. tried to run those people off the road." Susan shook her head in emphasis, It was nearly ten o' clock now and she had been sitting at the sheriff's station for a good two hours.

After their talk at her house Dale had convinced her that it would be better if she would call Sheriff Perkin's personally. She did and he had ask her to come in right away. By the time she and Dale arrived, Perkins was already waiting along with a woman from the FBI by the name of Une. She was the one in charge it seemed, recording their conversation and asking questions every once in a while.

"When I got back after dropping Kimberly off at her place, Patrick had J.R already patched up. We could hear police cars in the distance and were afraid someone might see us even so we were parked on a hidden side road. Patrick borrowed my father's car and I guess the two of them took the Ferrari to the old mines. I just walked home.  
It wasn't until the next day that we found out people had died in that crash. I was scared. I asked Patrick what he knew and he told me it had been a stupid accident.  
J.R., angry about having been embarrassed in front of his friends in the pub, wanted to get even. He and a couple buddies kept drinking after they got thrown out off McGinty's then went to the hotel to call that Japanese fellow out for a fight. But when they saw he wasn't alone, but with a guy carrying a gun, they gave up on that idea and just slashed their tires instead. The next day J.R. had found out the other guy was a P.I. He paid the maid at the hotel to swipe one of his business cards..."

"So that's how he knew Odin Lowe's pager number," Sheriff Perkins remarked pensively.

"I wouldn't know. Patrick said J.R. told him he just wanted to scare those people. He waited at Raven Cross, made sure they were alone and..."

"Played a deadly game of chicken." Perkins finished the sentence grimly.

"I suppose so," she couldn't look him into the eyes. "But he insisted he was the one who almost got forced off the road. Still I didn't like the story, and I could tell neither did Patrick. I begged him to go to the sheriff with me. But he just told me we couldn't do that. We might get charged for helping J.R. Aiding and abetting I think he called it. And then there was..."

"The drug arrest in Vegas that Flynn was holding over his head."

She nodded silently, nervously twisting a Kleenex in her hands. "He told me about it when it happened. It was a stupid mistake. But if anyone would have found about it, he could have lost his scholarship...he couldn't take that risk."

"A stupid mistake?" Une asked. "You mean him carrying the drugs for Nolan Flynn?"

Susan's head snapped up. "You know about that, too?"

"I read the report," the special agent explained. "A blood test given that night came back clean. Patrick had no drugs in his system. And Nolan Flynn had been arrested before for possession. I assume he managed to talk his friend into holding the drugs for him, because he could have gotten into serious trouble would he have been arrested again. And apparently I am not the only one came to that conclusion. That's probably why the case was never turned over to a judge."

"A misguided sense of loyalty seems to run in the family," Sheriff Perkins remarked seriously with a look at his deputy who suddenly developed a intense interest in the screensaver on his computer monitor.

"What's going to happen now?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Miss Carlson, nobody is going to put you in chains and drag you off to jail, if that's what you are worried about." Special Agent Une told her. "Even if your actions that night might add up to aiding and abetting, the statute of limitations for that has long since expired."

"Then what about J.R., will he go free now, because I didn't speak up earlier?"

"Actually, there really is no statute of limitation for murder."

"Murder?"

"The fact that he made preparations by luring away the private detective and lay in waiting for the Ogiwara's car to pass though Raven Cross, shows intent. And since a car in motion can be considered a lethal weapon, any prosecutor might argue that Flynn's intend was to kill not only to harm the victims," Une explained. "However..."

"Yes?"

"There is one major problem with your testimony."

"It's my word against his," Susan nodded as though she had expected the response. "Of course he could say I am only accusing him to protect Patrick."

"Yes, that too. But that's not even the main issue."

"It's not? then...?"

"You weren't there when the accident occurred, you never saw what happened. Nolan Flynn didn't even tell **you** what happened; he told Patrick O'Brien who then told you about it. That's what's considered hearsay. I think our main priority, now that we know there was a actual witness, will be to find Miss McKenzie. You wouldn't have any idea where she went, would you?"

"No, I'm sorry. I haven't heard from her since she left town. She never even finished the school year. But wait... My parents used to be good friends with her mother. I think they might still be getting Christmas cards every year."

"It's the beginning of October," Sheriff Perkins pointed out. "At my house Christmas cards don't survive far past January first. And even if they do the envelopes certainly don't."

"No, but some people use those envelopes to update their address books," Une replied. "It's certainly worth a shot."

####

"Does Flynn know yet?" Heero looked at the sheriff than special Agent Une. He and Duo had just finished listening to the tape of Susan Carlton's statement. When Sheriff Perkins had called him in the morning he hadn't expected the 'development in the case' , how Perkins had put it, to be such a big one.

Une shrugged. "He didn't hear it from us. But just in case I had him put on the 'No-Fly-list' last night. He won't be able to leave the country by plane."

"You know, it's not that far to the Mexican or Canadian border," Duo pointed out.

"True," Perkins admitted. "But I don't think Flynn is going anywhere. He is too haughty to believe that we can really touch him."

"Can you?" Heero asked.

"If we can find Miss McKenzie and she is willing to cooperate, he won't be able to deny anything," Une told him. "Dr. Po hasn't completed the DNA test, but a preliminary blood typing test shows that all the samples taken from the car, including the clothing, are of the same blood type. Coincidentally it doesn't match Patrick O' Brien's. The military was only too happy to provide us with Sergeant O'Brien's records for comparison."

"Does it match Nolan Flynn?"

"We will know for sure in a few hours. Doctor Po is finishing the test up as we speak. She went back to the lab late last night."

"Geez," Duo huffed. "You **do** let her sleep every once every while, don't you?"

"Sleep?" Une asked wryly. "What's that?"

"We will need to get her a jumbo size Caf-Pow," Heero announced, earning himself a grin from Duo and the special agent. Only Perkins didn't seem to get the joke. Maybe he had never watched NCIS.

##

It was shortly after noon when Deputy O'Brien picked up Miss Carlton at the drugstore to drive her to the sheriff station. She had agreed the night before to come in during her lunch hour to sign a written copy of her statement.

The drive was a quiet one until she turned toward the younger man. "I'm sorry, Dale. I know you probably don't want to talk to me right now..."

"No, it's not like that. I just...that things are so confusing right now." he admitted. "I know you tried to protect Patrick and I'm grateful for that, but to think that you didn't trust me enough to tell me all this time... That hurts." He shook his head then shrugged. "Like I said its confusing."

A few minutes later they pulled up in front of the station. When she stepped inside, Susan noticed the sheriff wasn't alone. Besides the woman who had introduced herself as Special Agent Une the night before, two young men were sitting in the Perkins' office. She recognized them instantly- by now everyone in town probably knew them on sight - and swallowed. Holding her step for a brief moment she finally took a deep breath and kept walking.

"Mister Yuy?"

The young man with the unruly brown hair rose from his chair as she approached.

"I'm Susan Carlton."

"I know," he replied calmly. "I remember seeing you at the drugstore when I was buying some batteries the other day."

"I'm sure you must think I'm a terrible person, for not telling the truth earlier."

To her surprise he shook his head. "I think you are only human and as such you are, like everyone else, bound to make mistakes. I never realized before how many people were forced to make difficult decisions in this case. Including my father who, I'm sure, only wanted my best. But I'm not the one to judge, nor would I want to, who made the right decision and who didn't. As you probably have realized already, we all have to live with the choices we make. But I'm glad that in the end you did decide to come forward. Thank you."

Afraid that her voice might betray her she only nodded and took the hand he offered. Truth to be told she wasn't sure if she could have been so forgiving if she was in his place.

Special Agent Une meanwhile had pulled out a folder, removed several typewritten pages and put them on the sheriff's desk.

"Please take your time reading over it, Miss Carlton," she suggested. "And if there is anything else you remember or need me to change, let me know."

"Of course," Susan nodded as she settled into the chair Une gestured too.

"We should probably leave," Heero Yuy told his companion, who nodded in agreement.

#

"I'll walk you to your car," Sheriff Perkins suggested.

As they walked outside Heero nodded at Dale O'Brien sitting behind his desk. The deputy returned the greeting with a nod of his own.

"So, what will you be doing now?" Perkins asked when they reached the jeep.

"Taking Special Agent Une's advice and fly home."

"Just like that?"

Heero shrugged. "We had been talking about it yesterday already, but now that there is really nothing left for us to do here we might leave a bit earlier than planned."

"Well you'd better not take off without a saying good bye to everyone."

"Wouldn't dream of it. How about if we all meet for breakfast tomorrow morning? Could you tell Doctor Fletcher too?"

"Sure. He will be there, even if I have to drag him along." Perkin's nodded.

###

"So, you are really leaving?" Dr Po was sitting across from him at the coffee shop. They had moved two tables together to fit everyone.

Heero Yuy nodded. They already had checked out of the hotel, and the private jet he had chartered was going to pick them up at the local air-field at noon.

"Yes, school started today and there are things I have to take care of."

"You will be back same time next year I assume?" Perkins asked.

"You can bet on it. I was talking to my uncle last night. He said he spoke to his father and after showing him a picture he was convinced that I am Hiroshi's son, even without the DNA results. He wants us to meet. In fact he said if I didn't make it to Japan by this time next year he would come here personally to meet me," Heero gave a little frown. "I'm still not completely sure if that was meant as a promise or a threat."

Collective laughter broke out at the table, interrupted only when the waitress came with another tray of fresh bagels.

"I've heard you are leaving today?"

"Yes," Heero confirmed once again. "It's time to go home."

"In that case, your tab will be on the house today. Enjoy the meal."

"Well thank you. That's very kind," he gave her a grateful nod and then when she had left he added. "There really are no secrets around here, are there?"

"You know..." Duo remarked as he smothered another bagel with a thick layer of cream cheese, "When we first got here, I felt like the people in this town didn't like strangers, but then I realized it just takes them a while to warm up to them."

"I don't know about that," Perkins replied with a tiny grin. "I have been living here for nearly 20 years now and some of them have yet to warm up to me."

"Could it have anything to do with your sparkling personality?" the young man asked cheekily.

The sheriff gave a snort, Deputy O'Brien hid a grin behind his coffee cup and Duo couldn't help but think that using that same line 5 days ago would probably have resulted in a 'go straight to jail, don't pass Go and don't collect $200" card.

He looked around the table. The old grumpy doctor, the sheriff and his deputy, the FBI agent and her forensic scientist, and two college kids, a bunch of people who couldn't have been more different. A fiction writer probably couldn't have come up with a cast of stranger characters. But here they were, proofing that life indeed could be stranger than fiction. Somehow the young man had a feeling that he was going to miss this place.

* * *

TBC

Author's Note: Well here we are. Pretty much at the end of the story. All that's left it's a epilogue to wrap up a few loose ends. Maybe I will have it done by tomorrow.


	36. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks for the reviews I received on this story.

* * *

**The Junkyard**

**Epilogue**

The black town-car dropped Heero off outside the cemetery at around a quarter to ten. The young man was the first one to arrive, because there were a couple of things he wanted to take care off before the funeral service. He spoke to the driver, making sure the man knew where and when to pick up his friends before sending him on his way. They had decided to rent a limousine rather than taking their own cars to the service, except for Treize and Milliardo who were just coming back from out of town that morning.

Dressed in a black suit he had bought just for the occasion after realizing that the one he had worn to J's funeral was about two inches too short, the young man walked through the heavy wrought-iron gate carrying three flower bouquets.

It really hadn't been that hard to find out where his mother's grave was once he started some thinking. After J had died, his lawyer had taken care of the funeral arrangements including the selection of his 'final resting place'. When Heero had called him to find out what had made him chose this particular cemetery, he'd learned that it had been specified in J's will. After a little more digging the young man found out that years earlier J had bought not one but two burial sites near where his wife had been laid to rest.

Though he had never noticed it at J's funeral, the two graves were just across from each other, with their headstones facing one another. They were maintained beautifully; J had taken care of that, too. Heero spent some time at his mother's grave, reflecting on things that happened and things that could have been. Then he walked over to J's resting place.

"You know," he spoke as he put down the bouquet of lilies. "I wish you would have told me. There are so many things I would have loved to ask you. But I guess you only did what you thought was best for me."

Finally he stopped briefly at the grave of J's wife, his grandmother, who he had never met, to leave the last of the flowers for her. Afterwards the young man headed across the main lawn toward the funeral parlor.

A short, bald man with wire-rimmed glasses, the director of the funeral house, dressed in a black three piece suit, was waiting outside the building.

"Mister Yuy!" His voice was surprisingly deep for his appearance, his handshake firm and his grey eyes full of compassion. "Let me express my condolences once again for your loss."

"Thank you." Heero didn't bother explaining again that it really wasn't **his** loss. "Is everything prepared, Mister Nelson?" he wanted to know.

"Just the way we talked about," Nelson confirmed. "The funeral begins at 11. You and your party will have time to say your final good-byes until then."

"Thank you." the young man nodded. "May I go in then?"

"Yes, of course. Please, let me show you the way."

#

The room he was let into was filled with flowers and wreaths. Heero had left most of the arrangements, including the choice of coffin to the funeral house. No matter what, anything would have to be a improvement over the plain pine box and the tiny unmarked plot Odin Lowe had been buried in the first time. He really knew too little about the man to be sure what kind of flowers or arrangements he would have preferred, but somehow he had a feeling he would approve.

When Heero first mentioned to his lawyer the idea of exhuming the P.I.'s body to give him the proper burial he deserved, he didn't get quite the reaction he expected. But once Dan Grey realized how serious he was about it, he had quietly and efficiently taken care of all the necessary formalities. Finally Heero started to understand why his grandfather so relied on the man.

After the funeral director had discretely retired, the young man found himself alone in the room with the closed coffin . It was still a bit of an awkward feeling as he stepped closer.

"I'm not quite sure how this works, or if you are even here right now... But since people usually say their good-byes during funerals I assume...no I hope you can hear me." He paused to gather his thoughts. "I don't know what promise you may have made to my father or my grandfather or why exactly to haven't been able to move on until now. But as far as I'm concerned you have done more than enough. If not for you I might have never found out who I am, might have never learned what happened to my parents and how they loved me. And on top of that you have given me back memories that opened up the door to a part of my life that had lost.  
I know when you took me to grandfather's house we must have spent several days on the road together. I still don't remember much about that. But you know, I am planning on restoring that old Buick of yours. And I have a feeling that spending some time in that car might even bring back those memories. I'm actually looking forward to them.  
Anyway, you have done more than enough. You can rest in peace now. Thanks again for everything."

##

Turning his head when the door behind him opened quietly, Heero recognized Milliardo Peacecraft and his history teacher.

"Should we wait outside?" the blonde asked in a hushed voice. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a thin black leather tie over his white shirt, while Treize was dressed in a dark pinstriped suit.

Heero shook his head. "I was just done. When did you get here?"

"Just a few moments ago," Treize told him. "We passed the limousine on the corner of Brickston. So they should be here any minute too."

"Thanks." the young man was about to add something when the phone in his pocket started to vibrate. He had turned off the ringer earlier to not disturb the service.

"Excuse me." He walked outside and around the corner as he answered the call. "Heero Yuy here."

"We've got him!"

It was Special Agent Une's voice, and he knew instantly what and who she was talking about. The young man drew a sharp breath.

"Then you were able to locate Miss McKenzie?"

"Misses Bartlett now, but yes." the woman confirmed. "She changed her name right after she left town. Turned out the rumors about her going to some fancy college on Nolan Flynn's buck were just that. She was trying to hide from the Flynns rather than from the law."

"How come?"

"A few weeks after the accident she found out that she was pregnant."

"With Nolan's child?"

"Yes. But by then she already knew she wanted nothing to do with that family. The money Nolan Sr. paid her was for an abortion. Apparently he didn't think she was good enough for his son, either. In any case she agreed to testify in the case. Our colleagues in Atlanta took her statement last night..."

#

"Is everything alright?" Treize, Wufei, Trowa, Duo and Milliardo were waiting by the door of the parlor when Heero returned.

He nodded. "The phone call; that was the FBI. Nolan Flynn has been arrested this morning."

"Does that mean they got all their evidence complete?" Duo asked. "Will they be charging him with murder?"

"His lawyer is negotiating with the prosecutor as we speak," Heero explained. "They will be pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter."

"Are you alright with that?" The professor looked at him. "It won't carry much of a sentence."

The young man shrugged, then nodded. "It really was never about punishment for me. I just wanted to know what really happened, and I wanted someone to take responsibility."

"Isn't it ironic, though?" Milliardo pointed out quietly. "To think that the case is being put to rest on the same day as Odin Lowe."

There was a moment of silence as everyone seemed to follow their own train of thoughts.

"Where is Quatre?" Heero finally asked. "Didn't he come with you guys?"

"He did." Trowa confirmed. "He is inside now together with Alexander bidding their farewells."

"That's right, Alexander said he would come too." Heero remembered, then he frowned. "I wonder if he is okay?"

"Alexander?"

"No, I mean Quatre. This being a graveyard and all..."

"Actually, I was wondering about that too," Wufei replied. "I asked him about it on the way here but he assured me he would be fine."

"Apparently," Trowa added. "In spite of popular believes spirits that reside in graveyards are usually at peace."

Milliardo checked his watch. "It's almost 11. Should we let them now that we are heading to the gravesite?"

"Let's give them a few more minutes," Treize suggested, and everyone agreed.

###

As the priest was talking about the footprints, visible and invisible, left behind by those who once walked this earth, Heero looked around.

To say the least he was pleased. When he first planned the funeral for Odin Lowe he was thinking of a small private affair. But once his friends found out about it each of them insisted to be there to see off the man neither of them even knew when he was still alive.

And to his surprise a few other people like his lawyer and Sheriff Bonaparte showed up as well.

_How ironic_, the young man thought. _Nobody cared enough to claim his body when he died. But somehow he managed to make a number of friends after death._

* * *

The End

Author's Note: I want to thank everyone to stuck with this story till the end, and hope a satisfying ending it was for everyone. Although this story is complete, keep your eyes open for more ghostly mysteries in the future.

On a different note, as I mentioned before I will be concentrating on Dragon King this year which also includes some changes to the already existing chapters. Therefore I will be removing the story sometime next week and repost the first re-written chapters for Chinese New Year


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